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THE 


BALLAD   MINSTRELSY 


SCOTLAND. 


ROMANTIC    AND    HISTORICAL. 


COLLATED    AND    ANNOTATED. 


^adlner,  '^^oj^^c 


GLASGOW: 

MAURICE     OGLE    AND     COMPANY. 


GLASGOW: 

PRINTED    BV   BELL   AND    BAIN, 

41    MITCHELL   STREET. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


The  Flotsam  of  our  old  Traditionary  Ballad  Lore,  which  came 
drifting  down  the  Stream  of  Time — much  of  it  starting  no  one  knows 
when,  and  coming  from  no  one  knows  where — was  diligently  sought 
after  and  collected  from  time  to  time  by  those  who  took  pleasure 
therein,  or  who  sought  to  derive  profit  therefrom. 

Beginning  with  Chepman  and  Myllor,  whose  issues  have  been  so 
admirably  reproduced  in  facsimile  by  that  still — and  long  may  he 
continue  to  be  so — hale  and  efficient  veteran  Editor  and  illustrator 
of  our  Ancient  Scotish  Literature,  Mr.  David  Laing.* 

Passing  over  the  greater  and  darker  portion  of  the  long  dark  night 
of  civil  broil  and  literary  darkness  which  settled  down  on  Scotland 
during  the  reigns  of  the  later  Stuarts,  we  come  towards  its  close,  and, 
as  the  harbinger  of  the  dawn  of  a  brighter  period,  to  Watson,  the 
celebrated  "  undertaker  "  of  several  elegantly  printed  national  works, 
whose  Choice  Collection  of  Comic  and  Serious  Scots  Poems  has  been  pro- 
duced in  facsimile  under  the  auspices  of  the  publishers  of  this  work.+ 
Watson  i)robably  stimulated,  aud  certainly  was  followed  immediately 
after  by  Ramsay,  who,  in  his  turn,  was  followed  at  intervals  by  others 
whose  names  are  recorded  in  the  bead-roll  of  fame  with  which  the 
General  Introduction  to  this  work  terminates. 

Motherwell,  after  stating  "that  of  every  old  traditionary  ballad 
known,  there  exists  what  may  be  called  different  versions,"  next 
proceeds  to  classify  and  describe  the  different  modes  of  editing  them 
which  had  been  practised  by  different  Ballad  Editors,  thus : — 

1st.  He  who  contents  "himself  with  merely  selecting  that  one  of 
his  copies  which  appeal's  the  most  complete  and  least  vitiated." 

2nd.  He  who,  "by  selecting  the  most  beautiful  and  striking 
passages  which  present  themselves  in  "  two  or  more  versions,  "suc- 
ceeds in  producing  from  the  conflicting  (?)  texts  of  his  various 
authorities  a  third  version,  more  perfect  and  ornate  than  any  indi- 
vidual one  as  it  originally  stood." 

3rd.  He  or  they  "who,  under  no  authority  of  written  or  recited 
copy,  but  merely  to  gratify  [his  or]  their  own  insatiate  rage  for 
innovation  and  improvement,  recklessly  and  injudiciously  cut  and 
carve  as  they  list,  on  these  productions,  and  in  some  cases  entirely 
re-write  them. " 

4th.  "There  is  yet  another  class  of  old  Song  Editors,"  or  rather 
Forgers,  on  "whose  dishonest  propensities"  Mr.  Motherwell  pours 
the  scorching  vials  of  his  sarcastic  scorn.  J 

It  is  a  sad  commentary  on  human  consistency  to  state,  and  that  on 
the  authority  of  evidence  furnished  by  himself,  that  the  theory  of 
Mr.  Motherwell,  who  highly  commends  the  firgt,  and  unqualifiedly 
condemns  the  three  other  "  modes,"  is  at  variance  with  his  practice  ; 
as  it  can  easily  be  shown  from  Mr.  Motherwell's  own  statements, 

*  Edinburgh,  mdcccxxvii.  t  Glasgow,  1869. 

X  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  pp.  vi.-ix. 


11889G5 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


that  he  carefully  collated — in  accordance  with  his  definition  of  class 
•2nd* — every  previously  unprinted  Ballad  of  which  more  than  one  set 
came  into  his  possession,  and  which  he  thought  worthy  of  a  place  in 
his  Minstrels'/. 

The  Editor  of  the  present  work  has  followed  in  the  same,  and,  as 
he  regards  it,  commendable  path,  going,  however,  a  step  further, 
although  quite  in  the  same  direction,  by  removing  what  appeared 
to  be  obvious  inconsistencies  and  errors  introduced  through  the 
ignorance  or  lapse  of  memory  of  oral  reciters ;  in  performing  which 
delicate  and  difficult  work,  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  to  deface  or 
vitiate  the  ancient  Story  which  the  Ballad  tells;  because,  as  is 
"granted"  by  even  Mr.  Motherwell  himself,  "the  '  expressions  and 
allusions'  of  these  compositions  fluctuate,  and  that  frequently;  but 
these  changes  never  alter  entirely  the  venerable  aspect  of  the  whole 
ballad.  It  is  like  repairing  gradually  the  weather-worn  face  of  an 
ancient  cathedral  by  the  insertion  here  and  there  of  a  freshly-hewn 
stone,  as  need  may  require.  The  outline  of  the  building  and  the  effect 
of  the  whole  remain  unchanged. "f 

The  work  of  Restoration,  however,  necessarily  brings  the  llestorer 
within  the  scope  of  criticism  ;  and  amid  the  gi-eat  diversities  of  tastes 
which  prevail,  it  would  be  passing  strange  if  some  were  not  very  far 
from  being  satisfied  with  respect  to  many  points,  and  few  or  none 
thoroughly  pleased  with  regard  to  all. 

It  is  probable  that  some  portions  have  been  rejected  which  should 
have  been  retained,  and  others  retained  which  should  have  been 
rejected;  but  it  is  consoling  to  know  that  nothing  has  been  destroyed, 
and  that  those  who  wish  to  gaze  u[)on  the  originals,  in  all  their 
rugged  and  fragmentary  simplicity,  may  find  in  this  work  a  complete 
and  ready  reference  to  the  different  versions  of  the  various  ballads. 

In  conclusion,  the  Editor  has  to  express  his  indebtedness,  and  to 
tender  his  thanks,  to  Dr.  Patrick  Buchan — son  of  the  eminent  collector 
to  whoso  zeal  and  industry  Scotish  Ballad  Literature  is  so  largely  in- 
debted, as  this  work  so  amply  testifies — for  the  kind  and  patriotic 
interest  which  he  has  manifested  in  this  collection  in  the  course  of 
its  progress  through  the  press,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  proof  sheets 
of  the  First  Part  having  been  submitted  to  him,  and  returned 
with  many  valuable  suggestions  and  emendations.  The  removal 
of  Dr.  Buchan  to  England  has,  miich  to  the  Editor's  regret, 
deprived  him  of  the  same  valuable  advice  aud  assistance  in  the 
Second  Part;  but  he  is  glad  to  learn  that  Dr.  Buchan,  although 
far  from  being  well,  has  made  considerable  progress  towards  the 
completion  of  a  work  on  the  Proverbs  of  Scotland,  as  illustrated 
and  explained  by  similar  proverbs  cun-ent  among  the  people  of  other 
nations,  by  etymological  definitions,  by  literary  quotations,  and  by 
Scotish  Anecdotes  aud  Stories. 

The  Editor  has  also  to  acknowledge  his  indebtedness  to  Messrs. 
(jrriffin  &  Co.,  Publishers,  London,  for  permission  to  include  "The 
Brave  Earl  Brand  and  the  King  of  England's  Daughter, "  post,  p.  32. 


*  For  example,  see  post,  p.  125,  and  post,  p.  432. 
t  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xi. 


TiLASGOW,  March,  1871. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

INTRODUCTION,        ~ ix 

ALISON   GROSS, 21$ 

ANDREW  LAMMIE 625 

ANNAN  WATER, 605 

ARCHIE  OF  CA'FIELD, 588 

ARMSTRONG'S  GOOD-NIGHT 592 

AS  I   WENT   ON  AE  MONDAY I96 

AULD   MAITLAND, 4OI 

BINNORIE, 295 

BONNIE  ANNIE, 342 

BONNIE  GEORGE  CAMPBELL,         .......  529 

BONNIE  SUSIE  CLELLAND, 78 

BOTHWELL, 22/ 

BROWN   ADAM, 339 

BROWN   ROBYN'S  CONFESSION,    ........  34I 

BURD   HELEN, 4            .            .            .  24O 

CHIL  ETHER, 25I 

CHILD   ROWLAND  AND  BURD  ELLEN, 207 

CLERK  COLVILL  AND  THE  MERMAID, 212 

CLERK  SAUNDERS 44 

CLERK  TAMMAS,           ....».»..  268 

COSPATRICK, 222 

DICK  O'  THE  COW, 570 

DUKE  OF  Perth's  three  daughters, 312 

EARL  RICHARD, .  232 

EARL  RICHARD'S  DAUGHTER,      .           4 1 33 

EDOM   O'  GORDON, 515 

EDWARD !  EDWARD ! 293 

ERLINTON, 26 

FAIR  Annie's  ghost 267 

FAIR  ANNIE  OF  LOCHRYAN I 

PAUSE  FOODRAGE 128 

FINE   FLOWERS   IN  THE  VALLEY,          ......  285 

GEORDIE ,           .           .           .  654 

GILDEROY, 632 

GIL  MORICE, 313 


VI  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

PAGE 

GLENKINDIE, 256 

GLENLOGIE, ^06 

GUDE  WALLACE, 418 

HARDYKNUTE, 357 

HOBBIE   NOBLE, 583 

HYNDE   ETIN, igg 

HYNDE  HORN, I25 

HUGHIE  THE  GRiEME 495 

JAMIE  TELFER  OF  THE  FAIR  DODHEAD 564 

JELLON  GRAME, 335 

JOCK  O'  THE  SIDE, ...  578 

JOHNNIE  ARMSTRANG,          . 487 

JOHNNIE  OF  BREADISLEE, 47I 

JOHNNIE  FAA 6x6 

JOHNNIE  SCOT 432 

JOHN  THOMSON  AND  THE  TURK, 252 

KATHERINE  JANFARIE, 85 

KEMPY   KAYE, 220 

KEMP  OWYNE;  OR,    KEMPION, 21 

KINMONT  WILLIE, 555 

KING  HENRIE, 217 

KING  MALCOLM  AND  SIR  COLVINE, 150 

LADYE  ANNE 3O4 

LADY   ANNE   BQTHWELL'S   BALOW,        .......  6X2 

LADY  ELSPAT 39 

LADY  ISABEL x6 

LADY   ISABEL  AND  THE  ELF  KNIGHT, X65 

LADY  MAISRY, 74 

LAMENT   FOR  FLODDEN, 476 

LANG  JOHNNIE   MOIR 648 

LEESOME   BRAND, 59 

LORD   BEICHAN  AND  SUSIE  PYE XI2 

LORD   DONALD, 3°^ 

LORD   INGRAM  AND  CHILDE  VYET, 80 

LORD   LUNDIE'S   DAUGHTER  AND  SQUIRE  WILLIAM,  ...  89 

LORD  maxwell's  GOOD-NIGHT, 593 

LORD   RANDAL, 3^5 

LORD  THOMAS  AND  FAIR  ANNIE, I03 

LORD  THOMAS   OF  WINESBERRY, 44^ 

LORD  WILLIAM, 27O 

MAY  COLVINE  AND   FAUSE  SIR  JOHN, X59 

PRINCE  ROBERT, ,           .           .           .  IJ 


CONTENTS.  Vll 


PAGE 

PROUD  LADY  MARGARET  AND  THE  COURTEOUS   KNIGHT,             .  1 77 

RARE  WILLIE  DROWNED   IN  YARROW, 603 

REEDISDALE  AND  WISE  WILLIAM, 246 

ROSE  THE  RED  AND  WHITE  LILY, 327 

SIR  CAWLINE, 156 

SIR   HUGH  LE  BLOND,  ' 347 

SIR  HUGH  AND  THE  JEW's   DAUGHTER, 352 

SIR  JAMES  THE  ROSE,           ...,....,  478 

SIR  PATRICK  SPENS, 368 

SIR  ROLAND, I7I 

SIR  WILLIAM  WALLACE,      .        __ 412 

SWEET  WILLIE  AND  FAIR  JANET, 67 

SWEET  WILLIE  AND   FAIR  ANNIE, 261 

SWEET  WILLIE  AND  LADY   MARGERIK,         .  .  .  .'.41 

SWEET  WILLIAM'S  GHOST,             .../...  50 

TAMLANE, 186 

TAMMIE  DOODLE, I98 

THE  BATTLE  OF  BALRINNES, 538 

THE  BATTLE  OF  CORICHIE, 503 

THE  BATTLE  OF  HARLAW  (EVERGREEN  VERSION),     .           .           .  443 

THE   BATTLE   OF  HARLAW   (TRADITIONARY   VERSION),          .           .  450 

THE  BATTLE  OF   OTTERBOURNE 424 

THE  BATTLE  OF  ROSLINE, 42O 

THE  BENT  SAE  BROWN, 35 

THE  piRTH  OF  ROBIN   HOOD, 322 

THE  BONNIE  BANKS  OF  FORDIE,                     3IO 

THE   BONNIE   EARL   OF   MURRAY, 53O 

THE  BRAVE  EARL  BRAND  AND  THE  KING  OF  ENGLAND'S  DAUGHTER,     32 

THE  BROOM   BLOOMS   BONNIE  AND  SAYS  IT  IS   FAIR,             .           .  62 

THE  BROOMFIELD  HILL, 229 

THE   BUCHANSHIRE  TRAGEDY;  OR,    SIR  JAMES  THE   ROSS,            .  481 

THE  CLERKS   OF  OXENFORD, 53 

THE   CRUEL   BROTHER,          .            .                        286 

THE  CRUEL  MOTHER, 3OO 

THE   DEMON   LOVER, 167 

THE   DOUGLAS   TRAGEDY,    . 29 

THE   DOWIE   DENS   OF  YARROW, 599 

THE  DROWNED  LOVERS;  OR,    WILLIE  AND  ]HAY  MARGARET,      .  9 

THE  DUKE  OF  GORDON'S   DAUGHTER, 548 

THE  EARL  OF  DOUGLAS  AND   DAME  OLIPHANT,           ...  63 

THE  EARL  OF  MAR'S   DAUGHTER, 98 

THE  EARL  OF  MURRAY, 53I 


BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


PACE 

THE  ELFIN   KNIGHT, l8l 

THE  ENCHANTED   RING, I43 

THE  FIRE   OF  FRENDRAUGHT, 619 

THE  GAY   GOS-HAWK, 93 

THE  HEIR   OF  LINNE   (PERCY   MS.    VERSION) 636 

THE   HEIR  OF  LINNE   (TRADITIONARY  VERSION),         .           ,           ,  64I 

THE   knight's  GHOST, I75 

THE  LADS   OF  WAMPHRAY, 552 

THE  LAIRD  O'   LOGIE, 532 

THE  LAIRD  OF  MUIRHEAD, 475 

THE  LAMENT  OF  THE  BORDER  WIDOW,     .           .           .           .           .  493 

THE  LAIRD   OF  WARISTOUN 607 

THE  LOCHMABEN   HARPER, 50O 

THE  MAID  AND   FAIRY, 185 

THE   MERMAID, .           .  214 

THE   miller's  son, I39 

THE  NEW-SLAIN   KNIGHT, 345 

THE  queen's   MARIE,            ........  509 

THE   RAID  OF  THE  REIDSWIRE, 52 1 

THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW   MURRAY, 459 

THE  TWA  BROTHERS 288 

THE  TWA  CORBIES, 343 

THE  WATER  O'   WEARIE'S  WELL, 1 64 

THE  YOUNG  LAIRD   OF  OCHILTREE, 535 

THE  WEE,    WEE   MAN, .  -193 

THE  WIFE   OF   USHER'S  WELL, 57 

THOMAS   OF  ERCILDOUNE, .  39I 

THOMAS  THE  RHYMER — PART   I.,         .           .           .           .           .           .  374 

THOMAS  THE   RHYMER— PART   II. 380 

THOMAS  O'   YONDERDALE, .  I09 

WILLIE'S   FATAL  VISIT, 1 74 

WILLIE'S   LADYE, 1 8 

WILLIE   MACINTOSH;  OR,    THE   BURNING  OF  AUCHINDOUN,         .  537 

WILLIAM  AND  MARGARET   (BY  DAVID   MALLET),          .           .           .  645 

WIT  AT  NEED, 49 

YOUNG  BEARWELL,      . 249 

YOUNG  BEKIE I20 

YOUNG  BENJIE, 281 

YOUNG  HASTINGS, 2o6 

YOUNG  JOHNSTONE, 277 

YOUNG  RONALD, I46 

YOUNG  WATERS, 454 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


Ballads  may  be  described  as  short  narrative  poems,  each 
celebrating  some  real  or  fancied  event,  and  suitable  for  singing 
or  chanting  to  some  simple  natural  melody.  They  often  are, 
but  ought  not  to  be,  confounded  with  songs,  which,  properly 
speaking,  are  the  more  polished  and  artistic  vehicles  of  "  senti- 
ment, expression,  or  even  description." ' 

Ballads  may  therefore  be  reasonably  regarded  as  the  earlier, 
nay,  probably,  as  the  very  earliest,  form  of  literary  composition,* 
and  more  especially  as  the  earliest  expression  of  the  Historic 
Muse ;  an  opinion  eloquently  set  forth  and  amply  illustrated  by 
Lord  Macaulay,  in  the  preface  to  his  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome. 

The  same,  or  a  similar  opinion,  appears  to  have  commended 
itself  to  other  distinguished  writers  a,nd  scholars,  as  the 
following  quotations  indicate. 

The  Booh  of  Jasher,  quoted  by  name  in  two  of  the  Earlier 
Historic  Books  of  The  Bible,  and  probably  still  more  largely 
incorporated  in  their  narratives,  is,  by  an  eminent  Biblical 
scholar  and  critic,  described  as  "  apparently  a  national  collection, 
in  the  form  of  ballads,  containing  the  record  of  great  men  and 
great  deeds."* 

Homer,  the  historian  of  the  Trojan  War,  "  though  the  early 
poet  of  a  rude  age,"  writes  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  has  purchased 
for  the  era  he  has  celebrated,  so  much  reverence,  that  not  daring 
to  bestow  on  it  the  term  barbarous,  we  distinguish  it  as  the 
heroic  period ;  "  and  though  "  no  other  poet  (sacred  and  inspired 
authors  excepted)  ever  did,'or  ever  will,  possess  the  same  influence 
over  posterity,  in  so  many  distant  lands,  as  has  been  acquired 
by  the  blind  old  man  of  Chios,  yet  we  are  assured  that  his 
works,  collected  by  the  pious  care  of  Pisistratus,  who  caused 
to  be  united  into  their  present  form  those  divine  poems,  would 
otherwise,  if  preserved  at  all,  have  appeared  to  succeeding 
generations  in  the  humble  state  of  a  collection  of  detached 
ballads,  connected  only  as  referring  to  the  same  age,  the  same 

1  Kitson's  Historical  Essay  on  National  Song,  prefixed  to  English  Songs. 

*  "The  Narrative  Ballad  we  believe  to  be  the  oldest  of  all  compositions;  and  we 
are  not  induced  to  alter  our  opinion  by  aU  that  has  been  said  of  love  and  innocence, 
and  of  golden,  pastoral,  and  patriarchal  ages." — B.  Jamieson,  in  Illustrations  of 
Northern  Antiquities,  Popular  Ballads,  Introduction,  p.  237. 

*  Biblical  Cyclopxdia,  edited  by  John  Eadie,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  &c.,  article  "  Jasher." 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


general  subjects,  and  the  same  cycle  of  heroes,  like  the  metrical 
poems  of  the  Cid  in  Spain,  or  of  Robin  Hood  in  England."  ^ 

Among  the  Latins,  "In  the  middle  of  the  third  century 
B.C.,  we  have  a  few  trenchant  relics  of  the  Saturninian  epic  of 
NsBvius  celebrating  the  main  events  of  the  first,  and  the  more 
polished  hexameters  of  Ennius  celebrating  the  Second  Punic 
War.  But  they  are  rather  reflections  after  the  event  than 
incentives  to  action.  Ennius,  however,  elsewhere  alludes  to 
the  existence  of  older  writers,  or  an  earlier  literature  which  had 
treated  of  the  same  or  similar  themes  in  a  more  popular  style  : 
and  Oicero,  in  his  '  Brutus,'  quoting  the  passage,  laments  the 
loss  of  those  more  primitive  strains.  From  these  and  other 
passages  Macaulay,  building  on  a  theory  of  Niebuhr's,  has 
imagined  that  a  whole  series  of  Roman  national  ballads,  .  .  . 
had  existed  and  passed  away  previous  to  the  date  of  the  Punic 
Wars.  He  maintains  that  these  early  poems  were  expelled 
from  poetic  literature  by  the  flowing  tide  of  Greek  influence 
(which  passed  over  Latium  as  that  of  the  Norrnans  did  over 
England),  but  that  the  substance  of  them  is  preserved  in  the 
more  fanciful  pages  of  Livy.     .     .     . 

"  The  first  light  that  falls  on  the  Gothic  race  all  over  Europe, 
by  the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  or  under  the  shadow  of  the  Hartz, 
reveals  the  old  singers  along  with  the  old  soldiers  exalted  by 
the  same  apotheosis  into  gods  and  heroes.  The  Norwegian 
chiefs  took  their  harpers  with  them  to  battle,  and  when  the 
Norse  armies  invaded  England  they  used  to  pass  free  from 
camp  to  camp. 

"The  earliest  ballads — as  the  lays  out  of  which  grew  the 
*  Nibelungen  Lied,'  the  '  Song  of  Roland,'  the  *  Death  Song  of 
Regner  Lodbrog,'  half  the  Eddas,  [and]  the  old  Norse  legend  of 
the  '  Sword  Tyrfing,^  .  .  belong  to  the  Pagan  period  of  our 
own  history,  and  that  of  the  countries  with  which  we  were 
most  closely  connected. 

"  Their  general  character  of  wild  defiance  is  admirably 
represented  in  Mr.  Longfellow's  '  Challenge  of  Thor,'  and  Mr. 
Motherwell's  '  Sword  Chaunt  of  Thorstein  Raudi.'  [But]  the 
Conquest  broke  the  stream  of  our  early  minstrelsy,  [and]  the 
more  elaborate  Romance  took  the  place  of  the  Ballad  among  the 
higher  circles."* 

The  view  expressed  in  the  last  sentence  fully  accords  with 
that  advanced  by  Mr.  Motherwell,  who  argues,  "that  the 
Romance  of  Chivalry  was  the  legitimate   descendant  of  the 

1  Sir  Walter  Scott's  Introductory  Remarks  on  Popular  Poeti-y,  &c.,  prefixed  to 
Mintirelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border,  edit.  183U. 

2  Professor  Nichol,  of  Glasgow  University,  in  a  recent  Lecture  ou  "  War  Songs," 
as  reiwrted  in  the  Glasgow  Newspaper  Press. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION, 


Heroic  Ballad.*  The  heroes  whom  the  minstrels  chose  for  their 
versifications,  were  uniformly  selected  from  those  worthies  of 
antiquity  whose  names  and  famous  actions  the  traditions  and 
ancient  songs  of  the  land  still  kept  in  remembrance.  These, 
again,  were  occasionally  supplanted  by  others  who  flourished 
in  more  recent  times ;  and  even  contemporary  warriors  at  last 
came  in  for  their  share  of  adulation,  and  of  that  glory  with 
which  the  muse  can  arrest  and  halo  an  otherwise  fleeting  name. 
But  the  origin  of  Romantic*  Fiction,  instead  of  being  thus  sought 
for  in  the  traditions  of  each  particular  land  where  it  obtained, 
and  being  looked  upon  as  the  natural  intellectual  growth 
of  that  land,  at  a  certain  stage  of  its  progress  towards  refine- 
ment and  the  courtesies  of  life;  and  as,  step  by  step,  advancing 
from  the  simple  narrative  ballad  to  the  more  elaborate  composi- 
tion, which  embraced  a  variety  of  such  narratives,  and  at  length 
bourgeoned  and  branched  out  into  all  those  complicated  and 
fictitious  adventures,  and  singular  poetic  creations,  for  which 
the  Metrical  Romance  is  distinguished,  has,  with  much  learning 
and  ingenuity,  been  by  different  writers  traced  to  a  variety  of 
opposite  and  contradictory  sources.  One  hath  assigned  it  a 
Scandinavian,'  another  an  Arabian,*  a  third  an  Armorican 
origin;*  while  others  have  claimed  this  distinction  for  Nor* 

1  Dr.  Leyden,  on  the  other  hand,  supposes  that  "many  of  the  wild  romantic 
ballads  which  are  stiU  common  in  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  have  the  appearance  of 
episodes  which,  in  the  progress  of  traditional  recitation,  have  been  detached  from 
the  romances  of  which  they  originally  formed  a  part" — Complaint,  Preliminary 
DissertatioD,  p.  271.  This  may  have  occurred  in  some  instances,  but  seems  to  have 
been  the  exception,  and  the  other  the  rule. 

3  "  Under  the  head  of  RoMANTic,'a  phrase  we  are  obliged  to  employ  for  lack  of  some"- 
thing  more  significant  and  precise,  may  be  ranged  a  numerous  and  highly  interesting 
body  of  short  metrical  tales,  chiefly  of  a  tragic  complexion,  which,  though  possessing 
all  the  features  of  real  incident  and  probably  originating  in  fact,  cannot  now,  after 
the  lapse  of  many  ages,  be  with  certamty  traced  to  any  historical  source,  pubUc  or 
private.  With  these  may  also  be  classed  that  description  of  Ancient  Song  which 
treats  of  incredible  achievements,  and  strange  adventures  by  flood  and  field, — deals 
largely  with  the  marvellous  in  all  its  multiform  aspects, — and  occasionally  pours  a 
brief  but  intense  glare  of  supernatural  light  over  those  dim  and  untravelled  realms 
of  doubt  and  dread,  whose  every  nook  the  giant  superstition  of  elder  days  has 
colonized  with  a  prodigal  profusion  of  mysterious  and  spiritual  inhabitants.  And, 
in  short,  under  this  comprehensive  head,  we  must  include  every  legend  relating  to 
person,  place,  thing,  or  occurrence,  to  establish  whose  existence  it  would  be  vain  to 
seek  for  other  evidence  than  that  which  popular  tradition  supplies." — Motherwell's 
Minstrdsy,  Introduction,  p.  iv. 

Sir  Walter  Scott's  definition  of  the  word  "  Eomance  "  is : — "A  fictitious  narrative  in 
prose  or  verse,  the  interest  of  which  turns  upon  marvellous  and  uncommon  incidents ; " 
but  "the  word  'Romance,'  in  its  original  meamng,  signifies  merely  one  or  other  of 
the  popular  dialects  of  Europe,  founded,  as  almost  all  those  dialects  were,  upon  the 
Boman  tongue,  that  is,  upon  the  Latin." — Essay  on  Romance.  First  pubUshed  in  the 
Supplement  to  the  Encyclopxdia  Britannica  [1824],  and  now  Included  in  his 
Miscellaneous  Works,  vol.  vi.,  p.  129. 

3  By  Mallet,  by  his  translator  Bishop  Percy,  and  by  Pinkerton. 

4  "  By  Warburton,  in  his  remarks  on  Love's  Labour  Lost,  and  supported  with  copious 
illustritions  by  Warton,  in  his  Preliminary  Dissertation  to  the  History  of  English 
i'oetry."— Leyden. 

5  Favoured  by  Dr.  Leyden  in  his  Preliminary  Dissertation  to  The  Complaynt  of 
Scotland. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


mandy  and  Provence."'  ["And  a  later  system,  patronized  by 
later  authors,  has  derived  them,  in  a  great  measure,  from  the 
Fragments  of  Classical  Superstition  which  continued  to  be  pre- 
served after  the  fall  of  the  Koman  empire."]  *  "  To  examine 
into  the  merit  of  these  respective  hypotheses  is  foreign  from 
our  present  purpose ;  but  to  ascribe  to  any  one  of  them  the  sole 
origin  of  that  stupendous  fabric  of  poetical  invention  which 
delighted  the  Middle  Ages,  would  be  as  foolish  as  the  shep- 
herd's thought,  who,  after  tracing  with  affectionate  fondness  the 
windings  of  his  slender  native  stream,  till  he  found  it  termi- 
nate in  the  ocean  sea,  deemed  the  boundless  expanse  of  waters 
before  him  no  other  than  the  accumulations  of  the  small  well- 
spring,  which,  in  the  solitude  of  the  far  uplands,  he  knew  full  well, 
did  morning  and  evening  hum  its  tiny  song,  and  gush  with  the 
gladness  of  new-born  life,  in  a  silver-like  thread,  down  the  dark 
hill  side.  Each  of  the  systems,  it  is  true,  does  in  part  account 
for  this  species  of  poetic  compositions;  but  it  would  require 
them  all  blended  together  to  obviate  every  objection  which 
applies  to  each  singly."^ 

Nor  would  even  this  suflBce,  as  the  flood  of  light  more 
recently  thrown  upon  comparative  philology  and  mythology  by 
that  distinguished  scholar  Max  MuUer,  and  by  other  labourers 
in  the  same  interesting  and  important  field,  reveals  the  broader 
and  truer  doctrine  of  later  times,  which  carries  back  the  date 
of  much  of  this  wide-spread  traditionary  lore,  and  assigns  to  it 
an  origin  prior  to  the  disjunction  of  the  diflerent  branches  of 
our  race  from  the  one  primeval  stem.  * 

Subsequent  to  such  disjunctions,  changes  of  scene  and  cir- 
cumstance introduced  modifications  and  divergences  resulting 
in  the  course  of  time  in  something  like  a  Babel  of  tradition, 
which,  age  by  age,  grew  greater  and  wider,  until  the  traces 
of  a  common  origin  among  the  more  divergent  branches  were 

1  Ellis,  in  the  Introdaction  to  his  Specimens  of  Early  English  Metrical  Romancts,  con- 
tends that  the  Earliest  Romances,  properly  so  called,  were  composed  in  Norman 
French  by  minstrels  pertaining  to  the  com't  of  the  Anglo-Norman  kings ;  wliile  he 
regards  the  southern  portion  of  Scotland  as  the  birthplace  of  the  English  language, 
and  the  earliest  English  Romances  as  the  productions  of  "Scottish  minstrels." 

Sir  "Walter  Scott,  referring  to  this  seeming  paradox,  remarks: — "Upon  this 
hypothesis,  it  is  curious  to  observe  that,  as  the  earliest  French  Romances  were 
written  in  England,  so  the  earliest  EngUsh  Romances  were  composed  in  Scotland." 

2  Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  his  Essay  on  Romance,  Miscellaneous  Works,  voL  vl,  p.  174. 

3  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xxxv. 

*  Mr.  Motherwell  rises  "to  the  height  of  this  great  argument"  in  the  following 
passage: — "As  to  the  original  source  from  whence  these  stories  have  flowed,  the 
reader  need  scarcely  be  told,  how  utterly  useless  all  conjectm-e  becomes ;  the  same 
stories,  or  but  slightly  varied,  we  find  everywhere,  and  in  every  language,  the 
popular  vehicles  of  amusement  or  Instruction  to  the  people.  Countries  far  separated 
from  each  other,  and  having  no  afiinity  of  language,  still  preserve  this  identity  in 
their  popular  tales ;  and  where  these  have  disappeared  in  a  measure  from  the  litera- 
ture of  the  people,  we  may  rest  assured  that  their  vestiges  can  still  be  traced  in  the 
legends  of  tne  nursery.'' — Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  pp.  xxxii.-xxxiiL  See  also  Intro- 
duction to  "  Lord  Randal,"  post,  p.  305. 


GENERAL  INTBODUCTION. 


all  but  lost. '  But  by  far  the  most  fruitful  source  of  confusion 
and  mystification  appears  to  have  arisen  from  what  seems  to 
have  been  a  common  practice  of  the  later  bards,  skalds,  or 
minstrels — namely,  the  adaptation  and  application  of  the  older 
stories  and  traditions  to  new  persons  and  events — a  practice, 
by  the  way,  of  which  the  careful  reader  will  find  several 
examples  in  this  collection.  Originality  is  a  God-given  gift 
conferred  on  few:  but  the  capacity  to  imitate,  to  copy,  or  to 
reconstruct  more  or  less  skilfully  under  varied  forms  and  in 
new  combinations  from  pre-existent  materials,  are  qualities 
possessed  by  multitudes.  Nor  does  this  apply  to  bards  or 
ballad-writers  merely,  as  much  of  our  current  literature  in 
every  department,  and  the  bulk  of  our  pulpit  prelections,  most 
amply  and  sadly  testify.  Literary  patchwork  in  the  press,  and 
mosaic  discourses  in  the  pulpit,  are  leading  characteristics  of 
this  age  of  shoddy.* 

The  use  made  of  the  old  material  gleaned  or  pilfered,  and 
re-constructed  or  re-dressed,  is  usually  abuse  of  such  a  nature 
as  finds  its  fitting  analogy  in  the  conduct  of  such  Goths  as 
ignorantly  and  wantonly  lay  sacrilegious  hands  on  the  remains 
of  some  stately  Old  Edifice,  in  order  that  they  may,  without 
much  expenditure  of  labour  or  money,  construct  a  barn,  or  rear 
a  dry-stone  wall. 

These  remarks  are  not  directed  against  honest  work  in 
the  form  of  compilation,  or  the  introduction  of  quotation 
honestly  acknowledged,  but  against  those  counterfeiters  who 
seek  to  stamp  their  own  impress  on  the  coinage  of  other  men's 
brains — those  pilferers  or  forgers  who  take  or  convey  over 
to  themselves  the  intellectual  property  of  other  and  better 
endowed  minds.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged that  originality  becomes  in  every  succeeding  age  much 
more  difficult;  mental  phenomena,  or  the  principles  of  human 
thought,  as  developed  by  the  intellectual  faculties ;  of  feeling, 
as  manifested  in   the   emotions   and   passions;  or   of  will,  as 

1  "With  respect  to  vulgar  poetry,  preserved  by  tradition,"  writes  Eitson,  "it  is 
almost  impossible  to  discriminate  the  ancient  from  the  modern,  the  true  from  the 
false.  Obsolete  phrases  will  be  perpetually  changing  for  those  lietter  understood; 
and  what  the  memory  loses  the  invention  must  supply.  So  that  a  jjerformance  of 
genius  and  merit,  as  the  purest  stream  becomes  polluted  by  the  foulness  of  its 
channel,  may  in  time  be  degraded  to  the  vilest  jargon.  Tradition,  in  short,  is  a 
species  of  alchemy  which  converts  gold  to  lead. 

"  He,  however,  who  should  have  the  patience  to  collect,  the  judgment  to  arrange, 
and  the  integrity  to  publish  the  best  pieces  of  this  description,  would  probably 
deserve  the  thanks  of  the  antiquary  and  the  man  of  taste ;  but  would  more  probably 
excite  the  malicious  atta,cks  and  scurrilous  language  of  a  few  despicable  hireUngs, 
who,  to  the  disgi-ace  of  criticism,  of  letters,  and  liberality,  are  permitted  to  dictate 
their  crude  and  superficial  ideas  as  the  criterion  of  literary  eminence." — Scotish 
Song,  Historical  Essay,  vol.  i.,  pp.  Ixxxi.-lxxxii. 

*  If  the  Wise  Man  were  alive  at  the  present  day,  he  might  reiterate  with  greater 
force  and  propriety  than  ever,  "  The  thing  that  hath  been,  it  is  that  which  shall  be ; 
and  that  which  is  done  is  that  which  shall  be  done :  and  there  is  no  new  thing  under 
the  snn,"  &c.,  &c.—Ecclesiastet,  chap,  i^  verses  9-10.    See  also  note,  post,  p.  373. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


displayed  in  the  actions ;  as  well  as  physical  phenomena, 
as  exhibited  in  the  material  universe,  are,  in  their  general 
characteristics,  the  same  in  every  age,  and  consequently 
available  to  those  who  had,  or  have,  the  intuition  and 
opportunity  first  to  use  them;  priority  of  appropriation 
conferring  a  right  of  possession,  and  constituting  in  this, 
as  in  other  matters,  a  material  advantage.  The  general  truth 
thus  indicated  has  been  admirably  and  elegantly  expressed 
by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  with  special  reference  to  poetic  themes 
and  similes : — "The  earlier  poets,"  says  he,  "have  the  advantage, 
and  it  is  not  a  small  one,  of  having  the  first  choice  out  of  the 
stock  of  materials  which  are  proper  to  the  art;  and  thus  they 
compel  later  authors,  if  they  would  avoid  slavishly  imitating 
the  fathers  of  verse,  into  various  devices,  often  more  ingenious 
than  elegant,  that  they  may  establish,  if  not  an  absolute  claim 
to  originality,  at  least  a  visible  distinction  betwixt  themselves 
and  their  predecessors.  Thus  it  happens,  that  early  poets 
almost  uniformly  display  a  bold,  rude,  original  cast  of  genius 
and  expression.  They  have  walked  at  free-will,  and  with  un- 
constrained steps,  along  the  wilds  of  Parnassus,  while  their 
followers  move  with  constrained  gestures  and  forced  attitudes, 
in  order  to  avoid  placing  their  feet  where  their  predecessors 
have  stepped  before  them.  The  first  bard  who  compared  his 
hero  to  a  lion  struck  a  bold  and  congenial  note,  though  the 
simile,  in  a  nation  of  hunters,  be  a  very  obvious  one;  but  every 
subsequent  poet  who  shall  use  it,  must  either  struggle  hard 
to  give  his  lion,  as  heralds  say,  with  a  difference,  or  lie  under 
the  imputation  of  being  a  servile  imitator." ' 

It  may  be  reasonably  inferred  that  the  closer  and  more 
numerous  the  instances  of  afldnity  between  the  traditions  of 
any  two  or  more  nations  to  each  other,  or  vice  versa,  are,  so  in 
proportion  will  be  their  more  immediate  or  remote  identity  as 
a  community. 

Keeping  this  preliminary  basis  in  view,  let  us  now  proceed  to 
inquire  into  the  origin  of  the  ample,  rich,  and  varied  store  of 
traditionary  Ballad  Lore  which  pertains  to  Scotland,  or,  to 
speak  more  precisely,  to  the  Lowland  Scots. 

As  is  well  known  to  every  one  who  has  paid  any  attention  to 
early  Scotish  History,  the  origin  and  language,  or  languages,  of 
the  Caledonians,  Picts,  and  Scots,  have  formed  the  fruitful 
themes  of  much  learned  disquisition  and  vehement  controversy. 

It  forms  no  part  of  the  writer's  plan  to  trace  elaborately,  to 
examine  minutely,  or  to  discuss  virulently  the  evidence  pro 
and  con  advanced  by  the  respective  advocates  of  the  Celtic  or 

1  Introductory  Eemarks  on  Popular  Poetry,  prefixed  to  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol 
L,  p.  6,  edit  1830,  and  since. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


the  Gothic  origin  of  the  nation  or  nations  known  under  the 
designations  named  above.  Nor  is  it  necessary  to  do  so. 
It  is  quite  sufiBcient  for  us  to  know  that  the  earliest  dawn  of 
Scotish  History  reveals  to  the  student  of  its  early  annals  two 
apparently  different  races,  speaking  two  different  languages, 
occupying,  the  one,  the  North-western,  and  the  other  the 
Eastern  and  Southern  portions  of  the  country,  the  former  speak- 
ing a  Celtic  and  the  other  a  Gothic  language;  that  the  relative 
positions  thus  disclosed  continued  to  subsist  during  the  various 
wars  and  mutations  which  the  country  has  passed  through ; 
and  that  they  still  continue  to  exist  down  to  the  present  day, 
although,  as  is  well  known,  the  Lowlanders  of  the  East  and 
South  have,  like  an  advancing  tide,  slowly  but  steadily  enlarged 
their  boundaries  by  encroachments  on  the  territories  of  the  no 
less  heroic  and  chivalrous  Highlanders  of  the  North-West. 

It  would  ill  become  a  modern  Scot,  in  whose  veins  the  blood 
of  both  those  ancient  and  distinguished  races  probably  mingles 
and  courses,  to  institute  odious  comparisons  between  them,  or 
to  exalt  one  to  the  disparagement  of  the  other.  Such  an  un- 
grateful task  is,  however,  fortunately  altogether  foreign  to  the 
purpose  of  this  Essay,  which  has,  if  not  purely  and  solely,  at 
least  more  immediately  to  do  with  the  Ballads  preserved  by 
the  Lowland  Scots. 

Affinity  of  language,  of  physical  and  mental  characteristics, 
and  of  Folk  or  Traditionary  Lore,  all  concur  in  identifying  the 
Lowlanders  of  Scotland  with  the  Northern  or  Scandinavian 
branch  of  the  great  Gothic  family,  which  in  the  fifth  and  suc- 
ceeding centuries  subverted  the  Roman  empire  and  established 
Gothic  kingdoms,  not  only  over  the  whole  of  Northern  and 
Western  Europe,  but  also  on  the  North-western  shores  of 
Africa.  But  in  addition  to  such  positive  evidence  of  the 
most  direct  and  convincing  kind,  we  may  add  the  negative 
evidence  furnished  by  the  fact,  that  Fingal  and  the  other  heroes 
of  Ossian,  as  well  as  the  other  Traditions  or  Traditionary  Stories 
current  among  the  Gaelic  Celts,  find  no  place  whatever  in  the 
popular  traditions  of  the  Lowlanders.  The  remains  of  Cymric 
traditions,  such  as  of  Arthur  and  the  Knights  of  his  Round  Table, 
are  likewise  scanty,  scattered,  and  obscure.'  Although  it  is 
quite  possible  that  the  New-year's  Mummers,  who  in  the  South- 

1  A  few  literary  notices  occur  in  the  works  of  Sir  David  Lindsay,  &c,  regarding 
"Gk)wmacmome,"  "  Fynmakcoul,"  "  Arthour,"  and  "Gawane." 

The  following  curious  references  to  two  of  those  heroes  occur  in  the  Cronitlis  of 
Scotland: — "It  is  said  that  Fjmmakcoule,  the  sonne  of  Ooelns  Scottisman,  was  in 
thir  dayes ;  ane  man  of  huge  statuore,  of  xvii.  cubits  of  hicht.  He  was  ane  gret 
hunter,  and  richt  terribU,  for  his  huge  quantite,  to  the  pepill :  of  quhome  ar  mony 
vulgar  fabillis  amang  us,  nocht  unlike  to  thir  fabilis  that  are  rehersit  of  King 
Arthxu^,  and  becaus  his  dedis  is  nocht  authorist  be  authentik  authoris,  I  will  rehera 
na  thing  thairof.'  — ,Sewnt  Buke,  chap.  18. 

"  Arthure"  and  "The  Bound  TabU"  are  also  referred  to  in  the  same  work.— JVia< 
Buke,  chap.  11. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


west  of  Scotland,  the  old  home  of  the  Scotish  Cymri,*  are 
designated  "  Galatians,"  or  "  Galashins,"  may  derive  their  name 
from  "Galashin,"*  who  is  said  to  have  been  the  brother  of  the 
supposed  hero  of  the  ballad  of  "  Kemp  Owyne  "  (p.  21),  and 
consequently  nephew  to  King  Arthur ;  yet  it  is  somewhat  sin- 
gular to  find  the  term  "  Kemp  "  prefixed  to  the  name  of  the 
hero;  a  circumstance  which  renders  it  all  but  certain  that  the 
Ballad  referred  to  has  come  to  us  from  a  Scandinavian  source. 

To  Kobert  Jamieson  belongs  the  honour  of  being  the  first  to 
point  out  "  the  singular  coincidence  which  exists  betwixt  the 
ballads  of  Scotland  and  those  of  Denmark  and  Sweden,  not 
only  in  their  incidents,  but  also  in  those  characteristic 
peculiarities  of  phraseology  and  expression  which  distinguish 
our  Traditionary  Songs. 

"To  those  fond  of  tracing  the  obvious  connection  thus  existing 
in  the  traditions  and  popular  poetry  of  countries  long  separated 
from  each  other,  the  writings  of  Mr.  Jamieson  must  ever  prove 
both  pleasing  and  profitable ;  and  there  are  few  who  know  any- 
thing of  the  subject,  on  which  he  has  bestowed  so  much  attention 
and  reflected  so  much  light,  but  will  readily  subscribe  to  almost 
every  one  of  the  philosophic  and  ingenious  views  he  has  so  well 
expressed  in  the  Dissertation  which  precedes  his  masterly 
translations.  To  point  out  some  of  the  striking  resemblances 
between  the  Scottish  and  Scandinavian  Ballad,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  refer  the  reader  to  the  translation  of  'Skion  Annie,' 
given  in  Popular  Ballads,  &c.,*  for  comparison  with  the  Ballad  of 
'Fair  Annie,'  founded  on  the  same  incidents  {post,  p.  103). 
To  the  ballads,  'Young  Child  Dyring'  (in  Illiistrations,  &c.,  page 

1  Mr.  Jamieson  appears  to  identify  them  with  the  Cimbri  of  the  Cimbric  Cherson- 
esns.  Others,  however,  contend  that  they  were  of  the  same  race  as  those  who  are 
now  styled  Welsh.  If  the  latter,  their  entire  disappearance  from  the  South-west  of 
Scotland  and  North  of  England,  is,  to  say  the  least,  remarkable. 

2  The  speech  with  which  he  usually  introduces  himself  is  in  these  words : — 

"  Here  comes  I  Galashin, 
Galashin  is  my  name. 
Sword  and  buckler  by  my  side, 
I  hope  to  win  the  game.' 

s  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs,  frcm  Traditions,  Manuscripts,  and  Scarce  Editions. 
fDith  Translations  of  Similar  Pieces  from  the  Ancient  Danish  Language,  and  a  Jeu- 
Originals  by  the  Editor,  Eobert  Jamieson,  A.M.  and  F.A.S.,  Edinburgh,  1S06,  2 
vols.  8vo. 

The  work  passed  through  the  press  while  its  editor  was  resident  on  the  Con- 
tinent; and  the  first  intimation  of  his  "discovery"  is  contained  in  a  letter  written 
at  "Riga,  Dec.  31,  old  style,  a.d.  1805-6,"  and  prefixed  to  his  translation  of  "  Skioen 
Anna,'  vol.  ii.,  p.  99. 

The  fuller,  more  matured,  and  accurate  result  of  his  researches  may  be  found  in 
his  Popular,  Heroic,  and  Romantic  Ballads,  translated  from  the  Northern  Languages, 
with  Notes  and  Illustrations,  by  B.  Jamieson,  A.M.  and  F.A.S.,  which  forms  Mr. 
Jamieson's  contribution  to  Illustrations  of  Northern  Antiquities,  from  the  earlier 
Teutonic  and  Scandinavian  Romances :  being  an  Abstract  of  the  Book  of  Heroes  and 
Nibelungen  Lap,  tcith  Translations  of  Metrical  Tales,  from  the  Old  German,  Banish. 
Sieedish  andlslandic  Languages.  Edmburgh,  1814,  4to.  This  valuable  work  was  the 
joint  production  of  Henry  Weber,  Eobert  Jamieson,  and  Sir  Walter  Scott 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


335),  and  '  Catherine  Janfarie'  {post,  page  85).  To  '  Ingefred 
and  Gudrune'  {Illtistrations,  page  340),  the  subject  of  which 
is  the  same  with  that  of  '  Cospatrick,'  'Bothwell,'  or  'Gil 
Brenton '  (post,  pages  222-8).  To  '  Ribolt  and  Guldborg,'  page 
317,  whose  affinity  to  the  '  Child  of  Elle,'  'Erlington,'  and  the 
'  Douglas  Tragedy,'  cannot  be  mistaken,  (post,  pages  26-34, 
&c.)  To  'Sir  Stig'  and  Lady  Torelild,'  page  344,  which  re- 
sembles 'Willie's  Lady'  (post,  page  18).  To  'Sir  Wal  and 
Lisa  Lyle,'  '  Fair  Midel  and  Kirsten  Lyle,'  which  ballads  find  a 
counterpart  in  a  Scottish  ballad  called  '  Leisome  Brand,'  though 
their  catastrophes  differ"  ^  {see post,  page  59). 

Sir  Walter  Scott  also  refers  to  Mr.  Jamieson's  Popular 
Ballads,  &c.,  in  the  following  terms: — 

"  This  work,  which  was  not  greeted  by  the  public  with  the 
attention  it  deserved,  opened  a  new  discovery  respecting  the 
original  source  of  the  Scottish  Ballads.  Mr.  Jamieson's  ex- 
tensive acquaintance  with  the  Scandinavian  literature  enabled 
him  to  detect  not  only  a  general  similarity  betwixt  these  and 
the  Danish  Ballads  preserved  in  the  Kiempe  Viser,  an  early 
collection  of  heroic  ballads  published  in  that  language  [1591 
and  1695],  but  to  demonstrate  that,  in  tnany  cases,  the  stories 
and  songs  were  distinctly  the  same, — a  circumstance  which  no 
antiquary  had  hitherto  so  much  as  suspected.'"' 

And  yet,  in  the  face  of  the  circumstantial  account  given  by 
Motherwell,  and  the  approval  and  acquiescence  expressed  by 
both  him  and  Sir  Walter  Scott,  as  just  quoted,  and  by  him- 
self, as  undernoted,'  Dr.  Robert  Chambers  had  the  assurance 
to  pen  the  following  grossly  inaccurate  statement : — 

"  Robert  Jamieson  found  in  the  Kcempe  Viser,  a  Danish  collec- 
tion of  ballads,  published  in  1695,  one  resembling  the  Scottish 
ballad  of  Fair  Annie  (otherwise  called  Lady  Jane) ;  and  on  this 
ground  he  became  convinced  that  many  of  our  traditionary 
ballads  were  of  prodigious  antiquity,  though  they  had  been 
intermediately  subjected  to  many  alterations. 

"  Mr.  Jamieson's  belief  seems  remarkably  ill-supported ;  and 
as  it  has  never  obtained  any  adherents  among  Scottish  ballad 
editors,  I  feel  entitled  to  pass  it  over  with  but  this  slight 
notice."* 

1  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  lixxix. 

*  Sir  Walter  Scott's  Introductory  Remarks  on  Popular  Poetry,  Minstrelsy  of  the 
Scottish  Border,  Tol.  ii,  p.  81.    Edit.  1830,  and  since.    See  also  post,  p.  103. 

*  "The  Tale  of  Fair  Annie,"  wrote  Dr.  (then  simply  Mr.)  Chambers,  with  evident 
allusion  to  Mr.  Jamieson's  researches,  "  is  found,  with  many  others,  in  the  great 
Danish  Collection  called  the  Kiempe  Viser,  which  was  published  in  1593." — Scottish 
JkUlads,  &c.,  "  Introductory,"  p.  6. 

<  Edinburgh  Papers,  by  Robert  Chambers,  F.R.S.E.,  F.S.A.S.,  F.G.S.,  F.L.S.,  &a 
The  Romantic  Scottish  Ballads,  Their  Epoch  and  Authorship,  1869. 


GENERAL   INTRODUCTIOX. 


The  reader  who  has  perused  the  extracts  from  Motherwell  and 
Scott,  which  precede  that  from  Dr.  Chambers,  will  not  require 
to  have  the  erroneous  assumption  of  the  statement  made  by 
the  latter  specifically  exposed.  It  may,  however,  prove 
interesting,  if  not  instructive,  to  note  the  ballads  which 
Dr.  Kobert  Chambers  manifested  such  a  Quixotic  anxiety  to 
lay  as  a  literary  guerdon  on  the  tomb  of  Lady  Wardlaw,  the 
reputed  authoress  of  "  Hardyknute  "  (p.  357).  They  are  as 
follows:' — 

"The  Lass  o'  Lochryan"  [p.  1]. 

"  Willie  and  May  Margaret ;  or,  The  Drowned  Lovers  "  [p.  9]. 

"  The  Douglas  Tragedy  "  [p.  29]. 

"Clerk  Saunders"  [p.  44]. 

"  Sweet  William's  Ghost"  [p.  50]. 

"  The  Clerk's  Twa  Sons  o'  Owsenford"  [p.  53]. 

"  Lady  Maisry  "  [p.  74], 

"The  Gay  Gos-hawk"  [p.  93]. 

"Fair  Annie"  [p.  103]. 

"Fause  Foodrage"  [p.  128]. 

"Tamlane"  [p.  186]. 

"BurdEllen"[p.  248]. 

"  Sweet  Willie  and  Fair  Annie  "  [p.  261]. 

"  Young  Hun  tin  "  ["  Earl  Richard  "  or  "  Lord  William,"  p.  270]. 

"Edward!  Edward!"  [p.  293]. 

"GilMorrice"^  [p.  313]. 


1  The  references  within  brackets  are  to  the  pages  of  this  work. 

2  "In  the  middle  of  the  last  century,"  writes  Dr.  Chambers,  "appeared  two 
editions  of  a  brochure  containing  the  now  well-known  ballad  of  '  Gil  Morrice ; '  the 
date  of  the  second  was  1755.  Prefixed  to  both  was  an  advertisement  setting  forth 
that  the  preservation  of  this  poem  was  owing  to  a  lady,  who  favoured  the  printers 
with  a  copy,  as  it  was  carefully  collected  from  the  mouths  of  old  women  and 

nurses "Who  was  the  '  lady  '  that  favoured  the  printers  with  the  copy  ? 

I  strongly  suspect  that  the  reviser  was  Lady  Wardlaw,  and  that  the  poem  was 
communicated  to  the  printers  either  by  her  or  by  some  of  her  near  relationa" 
— The  Romantic  Scottish  Ballads,  &c.,  p.  11. 

Now,  as  Lady  Wardlaw  died  in  1727,  the  "  copy  "  could  hardly  be  communicated 
by  her,  unless  "  the  printers "  were  "  favoured "  with  it  through  the  medium  of 
spirit-rapping!  At  the  same  time  it  is  qmte  evident,  as  stated  by  Burns,  who 
apparently  refers  to,  if  he  does  not  quote  from,  a  communication  of  Captain 
Bidders,  "that  the  present  ballad  is  a  modern  composition;  perhaps  not  much 
above  the  age  of  the  middle  of  the  last  century ;  at  least,  I  should  be  glad  to  see  or 
hear  of  a  copy  of  the  present  words  prior  to  1650.  That  it  was  taken  from  an  old  ballad 
called  'Child  Maurice,'  now  lost,  I  am  inclined  to  believe;  but  the  present  one  may 
,  be  classed  with  'Hardyknute,'  'Kenneth,'  'Duncan,'  'Lord  Woodhouselee,'  'Lord 
Livingston,'  'Binnorie'  [Pinkerton's  version],  'The  Death  of  Monteith,'  and  many 
other  productions  which  have  been  swallowed  by  many  readers  as  ancient  fragments 
of  old  poems."— Cromek's  Reliques. 

The  substantial  accuracy  of  this  opinion  is  borne  out  by  the  more  specific  state- 
ment made  on  the  authority  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  approved  by  Motherwell  [post, 
p.  315].  But  whether  any  one  of  the  ruder,  although  in  some  respects  more  vigorous 
versions,  more  recently  printed,  can  be  regarded  as  the  original  used  by  the  reviser, 
or  who  that  personage  may  be,  are  matters  which,  like  the  authorship  of  Junius'  Letters, 
are  never  hkely  to  be  determined. 


GENERAL   INTRODUCTIOX. 


"The  Jew's  Daughter"  [p.  362]. 

"  Sir  Patrick  Spens"*  [p.  368]. 

"  Young  Waters  "  [p.  454]. 

"  Johnnie  of  Braidislee  "  [p.  471].  ^^(Ifcft. 

"  Mary  Hamilton  "  [p.  609].  ^'* 

"Edom  o'  Gordon"*  [p.  615]. 

1  Dr.  Chambers  objects  to  the  antiquity  of  the  ballad  of  "Sir  Patrick  Spens"  on 
account  of  "  the  want  of  any  ancient  manuscript,  the  absence  of  tlie  least  trait  of 
an  ancient  style  of  composition,  the  palpable  modemness  of  the  diction:  for 
example,  '  Our  ship  must  sail  the  faem,'  a  glaring  specimen  of  the  poetical  language 
of  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,"  p.  7.  And  again,  "  Sir  Patrick  tells  his  friends 
before  starting  on  his  voyage,  '  Our  ship  must  sail  the  faem ; '  and  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  consequences  of  his  shipwreck,  we  find,  '  Mony  was  the  feather-bed  that 
flattered  on  the  faem.'  No  old  poet  would  use  foam  as  an  equivalent  for  the  sea; 
but  it  was  just  such  a  phrase  as  a  poet  of  the  era  of  Pope  would  love  to  use  in  that 
sense." — The  Romantic  Scottish  Ballads,  &c.,  p.  23. 

As  to  the  first  objection.  Dr.  Chambers,  to  be  logically  consistent,  ought  to  deny 
the  possibility  of  all  transmission  by  oral  tradition,  which,  as  might  be  easily  shown, 
he  does  not  do.    See  post,  p.  622. 

As  to  the  second  objection,  style,  words,  and  phrases  are,  in  oral  transmission,  i  ^0AA^ 
somewhat  like  a  shifting  quicksand,  and  liable  to  such  constant  change,  that  to  | 
found  thereon  an  argtmient  either  pro  or  eon,  resembles  the  conduct  of  "the 
foolish  man  who  built  his  house  upon  the  sand. '  And  as  to  the  alleged  "palpable 
modernness  of  the  diction,"  as  exemplified  in  the  use  of  the  word  "  faem,"  it  is 
only  necessary  to  cite  the  two  lines  of  an  old  song,  as  given  by  Gawin  Douglas  in 
one  of  the  prologues  to  his  celebrated  Scotish  translation  of  Virgil's  ^neid,  which 
appeared  in  1513.    The  lines  referred  to  are — 

"  The  schip  sails  ower  the  saut  fame, 
Will  bring  thir  merchandis  and  my  leman  hame.'' 

2  Curiously  enough,  Mr.  Motherwell,  who  in  the  main  is  as  reliable  as  Dr. 
Chambers  is  the  reverse,  specially  refers  to  "  Edom  o'  Gordon,"  as  an  example  of 
"  how  excellently  well  tradition  serves  as  a  substitute  for  more  efficient  and  less 
mutable  channels  of  communicating  the  things  of  past  ages  to  posterity.  In  proof 
of  this,  it  is  only  necessary  to  instance  the  well-known  ballad  of  'Edom  o'  Gordon,' 
which  is  traditionally  preserved  in  Scotland,  and  of  which  there  is  fortunately 
extant  a  copy  in  an  English  MS.,  apparently  coeval  with  the  date  of  the  subject  of 
the  ballad.  The  title  of  this  copy  is  '  Captain  Care.'  We  owe  its  publication  to  the 
late  Mr.  Bitson,  in  whose  AiKient  Songs  it  will  be  found,  printed  from  a  MS.  in  the 
Cottonian  Library.  Between  the  text  of  the  traditionary  version  and  that  of  the 
MS.,  a  slight  inspection  will  satisfy  us  that  the  variations  are  neither  very  numerous 
nor  very  important  This  is  taking  the  MS.  as  the  standard  of  the  original  text, 
although  it  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  such,  seeing  it  has  been  transcribed  by  an 
English  clerk,  who,  perhaps,  took  it  down  from  the  imperfect  recitation  of  some 
wandering  Scottish  minstrel,  and  thereafter  altered  it  to  suit  his  own  ideas  of 
poetical  beauty."  And  in  a  note,  Mr.  Motherwell  adds,  "Eitson  styles  it  the 
undoubted  original  of  the  Scottish  ballad,  and  one  of  the  few  specimens  now  extant 
of  the  proper  old  English  ballad,  as  composed,  not  by  a  Grub  Street  author  for  the 
stalls  of  London,  but  to  be  chaunted  up  and  down  the  kingdom  by  the  wandering 
Minstrels  of  the  North  Countrie.  But  here  the  critic  has  gratuitously  assumed,  that 
the  name  which  appears  at  the  end  of  it,  as  the  copyist,  is  also  that  of  the  author." 
— Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  pp.  ii.-lii. 

Regarding  this  ballad.  Dr.  Chambers  writes : — " '  Edom  o'  Gordon '  is  only  a 
modem  and  improved  version  of  an  old  ballad  which  Percy  found  in  his  Folio  MS., 
under  the  name  of  Captain  Adam  Carre.  .  .  .  All  that  can  be  surmised  here,  is, 
that  the  revision  was  the  work  of  the  same  pen  with  the  pieces  here  cited — as 
witness  ,for  example,  the  opening  stanzas : — 

"  It  fell  about  the  Martinmas, 

When  the  wind  blew  shrill  and  CAuld,* 
Said  Edom  o'  Gordon  to  his  men, — 
'  We  maun  draw  to  a  hauld. 

Dr.  Chambers's  note  is: — 
"  Young  Waters  "  opens  in  the  «une  manner: — 

"  Aboat  Yule,  when  the  wind  blew  cool !" 


XX  GENERAL    INTRODUCTION. 

"The  Bonnie  Earl  of  Murray"  [p.  531]. 

"Gilderoy"[p.  632]. 

"  The  Heir  of  Linne  "  (Scotish  version)  [p.  641].* 
"  All  of  which,"  says  Dr,  Chambers,  "  besides  others  which  must 
rest  unnamed,  bear  traces  of  the  same  authorship." 

The  reader  may  perceive  (see  note  p],  preceding  page)  that 
Dr.  Chambers  regards  a  certain  hackneyed  repetition  of  stock 
phraseology  as  originating  with  and  peculiar  to  Lady  Wardlaw's 
alleged  imitations  of  the  ancient  ballads,  which  phraseology 

" '  And  what  a  hauld  shall  we  draw  till, 
My  merry  men  and  me  ? 
We  will  f-'ae  to  the  house  o'  Bodes, 
To  see  that  fair  ladye.' 

"  The  ladye  stood  on  her  castle  wa', 
Beheld  baith  dale  and  down ; 
There  she  was  'ware  of  a  host  of  men, 
Come  riding  towards  the  town.  * 

"  '  Oh,  see  ye  not,  my  merry  men  a',  t 
Oh,  see  ye  not  what  I  see  ? ' '' — &c. 

Now,  let  it  be  observed  that  stanza  3  and  the  first  two  lines  of  stanza  i,  as  here 
quoted,  do  not  occur  in  the  version  of  the  ballad  first  issued  at  Glasgow,  in  1755. 

And  to  show  the  justice  of  the  estimate  here  expressed,  as  to  the  relative  merits 
of  Mr,  Motherwell  and  Dr.  Chambers,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  quote  the  first  five 
stanzas  of  the  version  referred  to  by  the  former,  as  published  by  Mr.  Eitson  from 
the  MS.  in  the  Cotton  Library,  which  stanzas  the  intelligent  reader  may,  if  he 
or  she  chooses,  compare  with  the  stanzas  and  lines  quoted  above,  and  then  form 
his  or  her  own  conclusioiL 
The  first  five  stanzas  given  by  Mr.  Ritson  are  as  foUows : — 
"  It  befeU  at  Martynmas, 

When  wether  waxed  colde, 
Captaine  Care  saide  to  his  men,  , 

'  We  must  go  take  a  holde.' 

"  'Haille,  mastet,  and  wether  you  will, 
And  wether  ye  like  best.' 
'  To  the  castle  of  Crecnmhroghe ; 
And  thei'e  we  will  take  our  reste. 

" '  I  know  wher  is  a  gay  castle. 
Is  build  of  lyme  and  stone, 
"Within  there  is  a  gay  ladie, 
Her  lord  is  ryd  from  horn.' 

"  The  ladie  lend  on  her  castle-walle. 
She  loked  upp  and  downe ; 
There  was  she  ware  of  an  host  of  men. 
Come  riding  to  the  towne. 

"  '  Come  you  hether,  my  meri  men  all. 
And  look  what  I  do  see ; 
Tonder  is  ther  a  host  of  men, 
I  musen  who  they  bee.'" 

1  Dr.  Chambers  ought  to  have  known  that  the  "  Scotch  Heir  of  Linne "  was  not 
"recovered  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Dixon,"  but  by  Mr.  Peter  Buchan.  It  appears,  however, 
for  the  first  time,  in  the  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  edited  by  Mr. 
Dixon,  for  the  Percy  Society. 

Dr.  Chambers's  notes  are : — 

•  We  liave  seen  the  same  description  in  both   "Young  Waters"  Mid  "The  Bonnie  Earl  of 
Murray." 
t  Compare  this  with  "  Sir  Patrick  Spence,"— 

"  Uak  haste,  mak  baste,  my  merry  men  a'." 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


really  does  not  occur  in  the  version  of  the  ballad,  "  Edom  o' 
Gordon,"  which  he  uses  as  the  basis  of  an  argument  where- 
with to  bring  "  Young  Waters,"  &c.,  within  his  charmed  circle. 
But  as  the  sceptical  theory  of  Dr.  Kobert  Chambers  has  been 
fully,  perhaps  even  too  verbosely,  answered  by  Mr.  Nerval  Clyne 
of  Aberdeen,'  and  by  Mr.  James  Hutton  Watkins  of  this  City;* 
as  it  has  been  since  virtually  abandoned  by  its  advocate;  as 
the  Introductions  prefixed  to  the  respective  ballads,  taken  in 
connection  with  what  has  been  here  said,  quoted,  and  referred 
to,  will  enable  each  reader  to  form  his  or  her  own  judgment  on 
the  matter;  and,  as  the  space  at  disposal  is  somewhat  limited, 
the  writer  feels  "entitled  to  pass  it  over  with  but  this  slight 
notice,"  which  is  perhaps  more  than  it  is  "entitled"  to 
receive. 

Most  of  the  ballads  assigned  to  Lady  Wardlaw  by  Dr. 
Chambers  belong  to  the  class  of  Romantic  Ballads  included  in 
Part  First  of  this  work.  A  few,  however,  belong  to  the  class  of 
ballads  usually  designated  Historical,^  which  latter  form  the 
larger  portion  of  the  ballads  comprehended  in  Part  Second. 

The  Historical  and  other  ballads  included  in  Part  Second,  are, 
as  nearly  as  it  can  possibly  be  made  out,  or  inferred,  arranged 
in  Chronological  order,  an  arrangement  which  is  quite  im- 
possible as  regards  the  ballads  contained  in  Part  First.  Some 
•attempt,  however,  has  been  there  made  to  group  together  ballads 
similar  in  theme  or  in  treatment,  or  to  connect  them  by  refer- 
ences in  the  respective  Introductions  prefixed  to  the  individual 
ballads. 

1  The  Romantic  Scottish  Ballads  and  the  Lady  Wardlaw  Heresy.  By  Norval  Olyne,  Aber- 
deen, JLDCCCMX.  As  shown  by  Dr.  Chambers  s  notes  to  the  stanzas  quoted  by  him  from 
"Edom  o'  Gordon,"  and  therefore  as  accurately  stated  by  Mr.  Norval  Clyne,  "He  " — i.e., 
Dr.  C. — "  dwells  strongly  on  points  of  resemblance  between  the  ballads  in  dispute, 
and  argues  somewhat  in  this  fashion.  Number  one  has  expressions  similar  to  those 
in  '  Hardyknute ; '  number  two  contains  lines  or  words  wonderfully  like  some  in 
number  one;  number  three  has,  in  a  similar  way,  a  resemblance  to  numbers  one  and 
tvao;  and  so  forth  through  the  whole  twenty-flve  pieces.  Take  away  number  one 
therefore — to  wit,  'Sir  Patrick  Spence,'  the  comer-stone  of  the  structure  raised  by 
Mr.  Chambers — and  Mr.  Chambers's  logic  [ !  ],  unsound  enough  before,  becomes  too 
defective  to  be  maintained  with  gravity." — (P.  13.) 

It  is  painful  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  passing  censure  on  one  who  has  done  so 
much  on  behalf  of  a  healthy  popular  literature. 

2  Early  Scottish  Ballads.  By  James  Hutton  Watkins,  Member  of  the  Arch«ological 
Society  of  Glasgow.  Being  a  revised  paper  read  at  a  meeting  of  the  Society,  8th 
January,  1866. — Printed,  Glasgow,  mdccclxvii. 

3  This  class,  according  to  Mr.  Motherwell's  definition,  "Embraces  all  those 
narrative  songs  which  derive  their  origin  from  historical  facts,  whether  of  a  public 
or  private  nature.  The  subjects  of  these  are  national  or  personal  conflicts,  family 
feuds,  public  or  domestic  transactions,  personal  adventure,  or  local  incidents,  which, 
in  some  shape  or  other,  have  fallen  under  the  observation  of  contemporary  and 
authentic  annalists.  In  general,  these  compositions  may  be  considered  as  coeval 
with  the  events  which  they  commemorate;  but,  with  this  class  as  with  that  which 
has  been  styled  the  Romantic  ballad,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that,  in  their  progress 
to  our  day,  they  have  undergone  no  modification  of  form,  and  these  very  consider- 
able, from  that  in  which  they  were  originally  produced  and  promulgated  among  the 
people.'' — Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  ii. 

C 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 


The  Introductions  referred  to  preclude  the  necessity  of  any- 
further  reference  to  the  ballads  included  in  this  collection. 
A  few  scattered  notices  regarding  some  Historical  Ballads 
referred  to  and  quoted  by  Hume  of  Godscroft,  but  which 
appear  to  be  now  lost,  followed  by  excerpts  of  the  most 
interesting  passages  in  The  Complaynt  of  Scotland^  a  passing 
reference  to  the  Maitland  and  Bannatyne  MSS.,  and  some 
account  of  our  principal  printed  collections,  may,  however,  be 
deemed  interesting. 

Of  the  notices  occuring  in  Hume's  work,'  probably  the 
earliest,  in  point  of  time,  "  relates  to  William,  brother  of  King 
Achaius."* 

The  next  relates  how :  "  The  Lord  of  Liddesdale,  being  at  his 
pastyme  hunting  in  Attrick  Forest,  is  beset  by  William  Earle  of 
Douglas,  and  such  as  he  had  ordained  for  that  purpose,  and  there 
assailed,  wounded,  and  slain,  beside  Galeswood,  in  the  year  1353, 
upon  a  jealousie,  that  the  Earle  had  conceived  of  him  with  his 
Lady,  as  the  report  goeth,  for  so  sayes  the  old  song: — 

'  The  Conntesse  of  Douglas,  out  of  her  bowre  she  came, 
And  loudly  there  that  she  did  call ; 
"  It  is  for  the  Lord  of  Liddesdale, 
That  I  let  all  these  teares  down  fall." ' 

The  song  also  declareth  how  shee  did  write  her  love  letters  to 
Liddesdale,  to  disswade  him  from  that  hunting.  It  tells  like- 
wise, the  manner  of  the  taking  of  his  men,  and  his  own  killing 
at  Galeswood,  and  how  he  was  carried  the  first  night  to 
Linden  Kirk,  a  mile  from  Selkirk,  and  was  buried  within  the 
Abbacie  of  Melrose."^ 

A  stanza  of  an  ancient  ballad  relating  to  the  Battle  of  Otter- 
bourne  (fought  1388),  may  be  found  quoted,  post,  p.  426. 

The  same  writer  furnishes  the  following  stanza: — 

"Edinburgh  Castle,  town,  and  tower, 

God  grant  thou  sinke  for  sinne ; 
And  that  even  for  the  black  dinner, 

Earl  Douglas  gat  therein." 

1  History  of  the  Family  of  Douglas,  by  David  Home  of  Godscroft,  1644. 

2  One  of  the  douzeperes  of  Charlemagne,  and  who  "conquest,"  says  Bellenden,  "be 
his  manheid  and  prowes.  sic  fame  that  he  was  callit  The  Knichi  but  Keproche  in  all 
his  weris,  and  got  sic  riches  and  landis  that  he  was  gretumly  renownit  amang  the 
princiss  of  France."  "It  is  he,"  says  Hume  of  Godscroft,  "who  is  named,  in  songs 
made  of  him,  Scottish  Gilmore,"  which  words  are  simply  Hume's  rendering  of  the 
following  words  of  Major, — qui  a  noslratibus  vuJgaliter  Scotisgilmor  rocatur.  "  May 
we  presume  then,"  inquires  Finlay.  "that  since  the  expression,  i-ulgaliter  vocatur, 
when  applied  to  Gilmore,  appeared  to  Hume's  mind  equivalent  to  'is  named  in 
songs,'  these  songs  must  have  been  stiU  current  in  the  days  of  the  latter  historian; 
or  can  we  only  conclude,  that  at  the  time  when  Major  wrote  (about  1508)  he  was 
still  a  popular  hero  in  Scotland  ?  " — Bellenden's  Boece  10  buke,  cap.  4.  [Hume's]  History 
of  the  Family  of  Douglas,  Major,  lib.  11,  cap.  13.    Finlay's  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  12. 

*  Sir  "Walter  Scott  quotes  the  above,  and  then  intimates  that  "some  fragments  of 
this  ballad  are  stiU  current,  and  will  be  found  in  the  ensuing  work,"  Border 
Minstrelsy,  vol.  1.,  Introduction,  p.  222.  Sir  Walter  must,  however,  have  overlooked 
the  fragments  he  refers  to,  as  they  do  not  appear  in  his  work. 


GENERAL  INTEODUCTION. 


which  stanza  is  supposed  to  be  the  sole  surviving  relic  of  & 
ballad  referring  to  what  Motherwell  justly  styles  "the 
infamous  murder  of  William,  Sixth  Earle  of  Douglas  [and  his 
brother],  in  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh,  in  1440."  But  not,  as  he 
states,  "by  the  hands  of  his  sovereign."  Although  William, 
the  Eighth  Earl,  fell  as  infamously,  and  in  violation  of  a  safe 
conduct,  "by  the  hands  of  the  same  sovereign"  (1452),  in  what 
has  since  been  known  as  the  Douglas  room  of  Stirling  Castle. 

Hume  has  also  "  preserved  the  beginning  of  a  scoffing  rhyme 
made"  with  reference  to  the  futile  attempt  of  the  Earl  of 
Argyle  "to  enter  the  Merse  as  lieutenant  of  his  Sovereign" 
(1528).    The  lines  quoted  are, — 

"  The  Earl  of  Argyle  is  bound  to  ride 

From  the  border  of  Edgebucklin  brae ;  i 
And  all  his  habergeons  him  beside, 

Each  man  upon  a  sonk  of  strae. 
They  made  their  vow  that  they  would  slay." 

There  issued  from  the  press  of  "Walter  Chepman  and 
Andrew  Myllar,  Edinburgh,  in  the  year  M.D.VIII.,"  a  series  of 
early  Tracts  or  Chap-books  in  black  letter,  forming  the  earliest 
specimens  of  popular  poetry  known  to  have  issued  from  the 
Scotisb  press.  But  the  only  portion  of  this  series  falling 
specially  within  the  scope  of  our  subject,  is 

"  A  Gest  of  Robyn  Hode,"  referred  to,  post,  p.  322. 

TTie  Complaynt  of  Scotland  (1549)  furnishes  us  with  a  curious 
and  interesting  list  of  the  "  Stories  and  .  .  flet  taylis,  .  . 
sum  .  in  prose,  and  sum  .  in  verse:  .  [quhilk]  the 
Scheiphirdis,*  thir  vyuis  and  saruadis  [reherseit]  ane  by  ane." 

[Omitting  those  derived  from  the  Greek  and  Eoman  classics; 
those  which  appear  to  be  derived  from  Norman-French  romances; 
as  well  as  those  by  Chaucer,  Dunbar,  and  Gavin  Douglas;  the 
following  may  be  cited : — ] 

"  the  tayle  of  the  volfe  of  the  varldis  end  "  [post,  p.  185]. 

"  the  taiyl  of  the  reyde  eyttyn  vitht  the  thre  heydis  "  [jpost, 
p.  199]. 

"the  prophysie  of  merlyne"  [post,  pp.  208-9,  382,  and  385-7]. 

"the  tayl  of  the  giantis  that  eit  quyk  men"  [post,  p.  200]. 

"  on  fut  by  fortht  as  i  culd  found."     [Unknown.] 

1  "Edgebucklin,"  near  Musselburgh. — Scott 

4  The  author  of  The  Complaynt  states  that  "euyrie  scheipherd  hed  ane  home  spune 
in  the  lug  of  there  bonet,  p.  66.  [Apparently  after  the  same  fashion  as  the  tobacco 
pipe  which  figures  in  the  hat-band  of  an  Irishman,  as  depicted  or  caricatured  by 
Erskine  Nicol  and  the  Punch  artists.]  He  also  relates  how  "  the  prencipal  scheip- 
hirde  maid  ane  orisone  tyll  al  the  laif  of  his  compangzons "  [p.  66] ;  wherein  he 
"indoctryne  his  nychtbours  as  he  had  studeit  ptholeme,  auerois,  aristotel,  galien, 
ypocrites  or  Cicero,  quhilk  var  expert  practicians  in  methamatic  art,"  and  yet 
strangely  enough  this  learned  "  Scheiphirde "  is  described  as  "  ane  rustic  pastour 
of  bestialite,  distitut  of  vrbanite,  and  of  speculatione  of  natural  philosophe  "  [p.  97]. 


GENERAL   INTBODUCTION. 


"vallace."     "thebruce."» 

"  the  tail  of  the  thre  futtit  dog  of  narrouay."     [Unknown.] 

"  the  tail  quhou  the  kjmg  of  est  mure  land  mareit  the  kyngis 

dochter  of  vest  mure  land"  [post,  p.  128]. 
"Skail  gillenderson  the  kyngis  sone  of  skellye."* 
"the  tail  of  Sir  euan  arthours  knycht"  [post,  p.  21]. 
"  Arthour  knycht  he  raid  on  nycht  vitht  gyltin  spur  and 

candil  lycht."^ 
"  the  tail  of  syr  valtir  the  bald  leslye."  * 
"  the  tail  of  the  pure  tynt."  * 
"robene  hude  and  litil  ihone."* 
"  the  tayl  of  the  zog  tamlene  "  [post,  p.  186]. 
"the  ryng  of  the  roy  Kobert."^ 
"  syr  egeir  and  syr  gryme."  * 

1  Henry  the  Minstrel,  and  Barbour,  appear  to  have  done  for  the  Scotish  Heroes 
what  PisistratTLs  is  credited  with  having  done  for  those  of  Greece,  who  are 
celebrated  in  the  Homeric  Rhapsodies. — See  ante,  p.  ix.,  and  post,  p.  414. 

2  Mr.  Pinkerton  suggests,  and  Mr.  Motherwell  supposes,  that  the  outline  of  this 
tale  is  "  to  be  found  in  Wintown." — Oronykil,  a-d.  1158. 

*  Leyden,  in  the  Preliminary  Dissertation  prefixed  to  his  edition  of  the  Complaint 
oi  Scotland  (p.  229),  mentions  that  he  had  heard  these  lines  "  repeated  in  a  nursery 
lale,  of  which  I  only  recollect,"  says  he,  "  the  following  ridicnloua  verses: — 

'  Chick  my  naggie !  chick  my  naggle ! 
How  mony  miles  to  Aberdeagie? 
'Tis  eight,  and  eight,  and  other  eight; 
We'U  no  win  there  wi'  candle  light.' " 

*  "  Sir  Walter  Lesley  accompanied  his  brother  Norman  to  the  east,  to  assist  Peter, 
King  of  Cyprus;  where,  according  to  Fordun,  Coeperunt  civitatem  Alexandrinam 
tempore  ultimi  regis  David."  Leyden.  Ibid,  p.  230.  But  "Mr.  Flnlay  seeks  to  connect 
With  this  a  tradition  preserved  by  Verstegan,  in  his  Restitution  of  Oecaued  Intelli- 
gence, Lond,,  1634,  p.  292:  'A  combat  being  once  fought  in  Scotland,  between  a 
gentleman  of  the  family  of  Leslyes,  and  a  knight  of  Hungary,  wherein  the  Scottish 
gentleman  was  victor;  in  memory  thereof,  and  of  the  place  where  it  happened, 
these  ensuing  verses  doe  in  Scotland  yet  remaine : — 

'  Betweene  the  lesseley,  and  the  mare. 
He  slew  the  Knight,  and  left  him  there.' 

Mackenzie,  in  his  life  of  John  Lesley,  Bishop  of  Ross,  gives  a  different  account  of 
this  tradition, — namely,  that  the  family  of  Lesley  sprung  from  Bartholemy  Lesley,  a 
Hungarian  gentleman  who  accompanied  Queen  Margaret  from  Hungary  to  England, 
and  from  thence  to  Scotland,  where  he  married  one  of  her  Maids  of  Honour,  about 
1067." — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xlix_  note.  See  also  Historical 
Records  of  the  Family  of  Leslie,  by  Col.  Leslie,  K.H.,  of  Balquhain.    3  vols.,  1869. 

5  "Probably  the  groundwork  of  the  fairy  tale  of  'the  pure  tynt  Bashycoat,'  a 
common  nursery  tale." — Leyden.    Ibid,  p.  236. 

6  Post,  p.  322.  Another  ballad  neither  referred  to  there,  nor  printed  in  this  work, 
is  given  by  Mr.  Buchan,  under  the  title  of  "  Jock  the  Leg  and  the  Merry  Merchant," 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  165,  and  note,  p.  325.  It  relates  the  discomfiture  of  "Jock 
the  Leg,"  or  "Little  John,"  by  the  "Merchant,"  who  is,  therefore,  accounted  "the 
strongest  and  bravest  man  in  the  country,"  seeing  that  he  "  overcame  Little  John, 
Little  John  Robin  Hood,  and  Robin  Hood  all  the  rest  of  the  country." 

7  Occurs  in  the  Folio  Maitland  MS.,  and  is  there  ascribed  to  "Deine  David 
Steil."  A  modernized  copy  is  given  in  Watson's  Collection,  Part  IL,  p.  iii.;  see 
aXsopost,  p.  181. 

*  This  romance,  or  it  may  be  some  abridgment  of  it,  is  thus  referred  to  in  the 
books  of  the  Lord  High  Treasurer,  a.d.  1497.  "  Item  [the  xix  day  of  Aprile,  in 
Striuelin],  gifBn  to  twa  flthelaris,  that  sang  Gray-steil  to  the  King,  ixs.'" 

There  are  numerous  references  in  the  works  of  early  Scotish  writers  to  this 
romance,  which  seems  to  have  been  very  popular  in  Scotland. 


GEiraRAL  INTRODUCTION. 


"  the  tail  of  the  amoars  of  leander  and  hero." ' 
"the  tayl  of  the  thre  vierd  systirs."* 

"  ^  Quhen  thir  Scheiphyrdis  hed  tald  al  thyr  pleysand  storeis, 
than  they  and  their  vyuis  began  to  sing  sueit  melodius  sangis 
of  natural  music  of  the  antiquite,  as  eftir  foUouis."  (See 
The  Songs  of  Scotland,  Chronologically  Arranged,  p.  xxvii.) 

[Some  of  the  pieces  enumerated  among  the  "sueit  melodins 
sangis"  are,  however,  properly  speaking,  ballads.  For  in- 
stance:— 

"  The  frog  cam  to  the  myl  dur," ' 
"  the  sang  of  gilquhiskhar."  * 
"  god  sen  the  due,  hed  byddin  in  France, 
And  delabaute  had  neuyr  cum  hame."  * 
"the  battel  of  the  hayrlau"  [post,  p.  443]. 
"  The  hunttis  of  cheuet "  [post,  p.  425-6]. 
"  The  persee  and  the  mongumrye  met 

that  day,  that  gentil  day  "  [post,  p.  424]. 
"  my  luf  is  laid  upon  ane  fcnight "  [post,  p.  476].  ] 

"^  Thir  Scheiphirdis  ande  there  vyuis  sang  mony  vthir  melodi' 
eangis,  the  quhilkis  i  hef  nocht  in  memorie.  than  eftir  this  sueit 
celest  armonye,  tha  began  to  dance  in  ane  ring,  euyrie  aid 
scheipherd  led  his  vyfe  be  the  hand,  and  euyrie  zong  scheip- 
herd  led  her  quhome  he  luffit  best."® — The  Complaynt  of  Scotland, 
edited  by  John  Leyden,  8vo,  1801,  pp.  98-103. 

1  In  the  EoxBURGHE  Collectiok,  and  in  Mr.  Pasme  Collier's  Eoxburghe  Ballads, 
p.  227,  occurs,  "The  Tragedy  of  Hero  and  Leander.  To  a. pleasant  new  time,  or,  / 
tcill  never  love  thee  more."  A  song,  or  ballad  founded  on  it,  appeared  in  the  Tea-table 
Miscellany,  vol.  ii.,  p.  138,  and  was  inserted  by  Ritson  in  his  Scotish  Songs,  voL  ii., 
p.  198.  It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  either  has  any  claim  to  be  identified  with  the 
story  oTflet  tayle  here  referred  to. 

2  Mr.  Motherwell  supposes  the  outline  of  this  story  to  be  given  in  the  following 
lines,  relating  to  a  dream  which  was  dreamt,  or  vision  which  was  seen,  by 
Macbeth : — 

"  Thre  werd  systyris  most  lyk  to  be 
The  first  he  heard  say,  gangande  by, 
Lo  yonder  the  Thayne  o/Crumbachty! 
The  Tother  woman  said  agayn, 
0/ Murray  yonder  Ise  the  Thaynl 
The  Thrid  than  said,  J  se  the  kyng!" 

This  is  the  fountain-head  of  the  story  which  the  immortal  Shakespieare  introduces 
with  such  effect  in  his  sublime  tragedy  of  "  Macbeth." — Act  I.,  Scene  iii. 

»  This  is  probably  one  of  the  numerous  versions  of  the  nursery  ballad,  "  A  frog 
he  would  a-wooing  go." 

*  Is  supposed  to  have  been  an  historic  ballad,  but  time,  place,  circumstance,  and 
person  are  alike  unknown. 

5  This  appears  to  have  been  a  ballad  on  the  Chevalier  De  la  Beante,  whom  the 
Begent  John,  Duke  of  Albany,  left  as  his  deputy  when  he  returned  to  France.  The 
unfortunate  Frenchman  was  savagely  murdered  by  the  Laird  of  Wedderbum  and 
others,  a.d.  1517. 

6  The  musical  powers  of  "  kyng  amphion,"  "  appollo,"  "  al  the  scheipherdis  that 
virgi]  maklris  mention  in  his  bucolikis,"  "  orpheus,"  "  the  scheiphyrd  pan,"  "  nor 


GENERAL  INTEODUCTION. 


[Among  the  dances  enumerated,  the  following  are  named  after 
ballad  heroes : — 

"Eobene  hude"  [post,  p.  322]. 

"  thorn  of  lyn  "  [post,  p.  186]. 

"johnne  ermistrangis  dance"  [post,  p.  489].  ] 

But,  as  remarked  by  Leyden,  the  list  "  cannot  be  considered 
as  complete,  though  it  marks  the  peculiar  taste  of  the  author." 

No  reasonable  argument  against  the  antiquity  of  "  Sir  Patrick 
Spens,"  or  any  other  presumedly  ancient  ballad  or  song,  can 
therefore  be  founded  on  the  silence  of  Tfie  Complaynt  regarding 
them.  In  fact,  many  of  the  Romances  enumerated  in  The 
Complaynt,  but  here  omitted,  could  never  have  been  popular 
among  Scotish  shepherds*  and  their  wives,  while  the  whole 
scene  of  Arcadian  or  "  sweet  celestial  harmony"  and  simplicity 
conjured  up  by  the  author  was  entirely  alien  to  the  stern  reality 
witnessed  in  the  Scotland  of  that  age. 

As  The  Complaynt  is  chiefly  valued  and  referred  to  on  account 
of  the  passages  quoted  above,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to 
give  them  in  the  orthography  of  the  author,  as  represented  by 
Leyden. * 

The  Maitland  MSS.,  Folio  and  Quarto,  a.d.  1555-86,'  the  one 
written  by  Sir  Richard  Maitland,  and  the  other  by  his  daughter; 
and  the  Bannatyne  MS.,  written  by  George  Bannatyne,  A.D.  1568;* 
contain  poems  by  Dunbar,  Gawin  Douglas,  Henryson,  Alexander 
Scot,  Sir  Richard  Maitland,  and  other  mahhars,  named  and  un- 
named ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  in  the  Bannatyne 
MS.,^  the  poems  contained  in  these  MSS.  cannot,  properly  speak- 
ing, be  classed  as  ballads. 

The  principal  printed  Collections  containing  Scotish  Ballads 
or  Poems,  which  have  been  printed  and  classed  as  such,  are  as 
follows :  — 

"A  Choice  Collection  of  Comic  and  Serious  Scots  Poems, 

mercnrius,"  "culd  nocht  be  comparit  to  thlr  foir  said  scheiphyrdis."— Conip/ajwt, 
p.  102. 

The  superlative  excellence  of  their  dancing  is  also  graphically  described : — "  for 
fyrst  thai  bega  vitht  tua  bekkis  and  vitht  a  kysse.  eui-ipides,  iuuenal,  perseus, 
horasse,  nor  nane  of  the  satiric  poiettes  quhUkis  mouit  ther  bodies  as  thai  hed  bene 
dansand  quhen  thai  pronuncit  ther  tragiedeis,  none  of  them  kepit  moir  geomatrial 
mesure  nor  thir  scheiphyrdis  did  in  thir  dansing.  nor  ludius  that  vas  the  fyrst 
dansar  of  rome,  enld  nocht  haf  been  comparit  to  thir  scheiphirdis."  Well  might  the 
author  exclaim  that  he  "  beheld  neuyr  ane  mair  dilectabil  recreatioe." — Complaynt 
p.  102. 

1  See  note,  ante,  p.  xxiiL 

2  The  Eariy  English  Text  Society  announced  a  new  edition  of  this  curious  and 
interesting  work  for  their  issue  of  1870,  but  it  has  not  yet  appeared.    (1871.) 

s  For  an  account  of  the  contents  of  these  MSS.,  see  Pinkerton's  Ancient  Scotish 
Poems,  vol.  ii.,  Appendix  I. 

••  Ibid,  and  more  accurately  in  Memorials  of  George  Bannatyne,  1829,  4to,  a  volume 
printed  for  the  Bannatyne  Club. 

*  -The  Baid  of  Eeidsquair,"  post,  p.  521,  is  the  only  one  given  in  this  work. 


GENERAL  INTBODUCTIOK. 


Both  Ancient  and  Modem,  By  several  Hands.  Edinburgh, 
printed  by  James  Watson:  Sold  by  John  Vallange."  [Three 
Parts,  1706,  1709,  and  1711.     Second  ed.  of  Part  i.,  1713.] ' 

"  The  Evergreen,  Being  a  Collection  of  Scots  Poems,  Wrote 
by  the  Ingenious  before  1600.  Published  by  Allan  Kamsay. 
Edinburgh,  1724.".    2  vols.  * 

"The  Tea  Table  Miscellany:  A  Collection  of  Choice  Songs, 
Scots  and  English.     Edinburgh  1724,  and  after."    4  vols.  * 

"  Reliques  of  Ancient  English  Poetry,  &c..  By  Thomas  Percy, 
Lord  Bishop  of  Dromore."  London,  Ist  ed,,  1765,  4th  ed.  (im- 
proved) 1794.  * 

"Ancient  and  Modem  Scottish  Songs,  Heroic  Ballads,  etc." 
[Edited  by  David  Herd,  assisted  by  George  Paton.]  Edinburgh, 
1769.     2d  ed.,  in  2  vols.,  1776.  * 

"The  Scots  Musical  Museum,"  &c.,  by  James  Johnson. 
Edinburgh,  6  vols.,  1787-1803.  [3d  ed.,  "With  copious  Notes 
and  Illustrations  ...  by  the  late  William  Stenhouse,"  and 
"with  additional  Notes  and  Illustrations  by  David  Laing 
and  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Edinburgh,  1853."    4  vols.]  • 

"  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border,"  &c.  [1st  and  2d  vols., 
1802;  3d,  1803.  Last  ed.  revised  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Caddell, 
Edinburgh,  1830.     4  vols.] ' 

"  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs  ...  by  Robert  Jamieson." 
Edinburgh,  1806.     2  vols.  * 


1  This  is  the  earliest  collection  of  Scots  Poems  issued  in  book  form. 

2  Most  of  the  poems  contained  in  The  Evergreen  were  printed  from  the  Bannatyne 
MS. ;  but  they  are  given  very  inaccurately.  It  contains  also  "  Hardyknute,"  "  The 
Vision,"  &c.,  which  had  no  right  to  a  place  under  such  a  title  as  the  above. 

3  The  earliest  Colleclion  of  Scots  Songs,  and  the  basis  of  all  subsequent  collections. 

*  The  Reliques  contain  a  larger  number  of  Scotish  Ballads  than  had  previously 
appeared  in  print,  at  least  in  a,  collected  form.  Most,  if  not  aU  of  them,  were 
transmitted  by  Lord  Hailes. 

5  Contributes  largely  to  our  stock  of  ballads ;  many  fragments  being  also  gleaned 
up  and  preserved  which  might  otherwise  have  perished. 

«  The  Notes  and  Illustrations  were  added  to  this  last  edition,  of  which  they  form  the 
4th  volume;  but  in  other  respects  the  editions  are  the  same,  both  being  paged 
continuoasly;  vols.  i.  to  vi  of  the  1st  ed.  corresponding  with  vols  i  to  iii.  of  the 
3d  ed.  Music,  Words,  and  Notes  all  combine  to  render  this  the  most  valuable 
compendium  of  Scotish  Song  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and 
indispensable  to  those  who  wish  to  know  nearly  all  that  is  known  or  can  be  ascer- 
tained regarding  our  National  Song  and  Music  up  to  that  period. 

?  Mr.  Motherwell,  referring  to  "  this  great  national  work,"  remarks,—"  Fortunate 
it  was  for  the  Heroick  aud  Legendary  Song  of  Scotland  that  this  work  was  under- 
taken, and  still  more  fortunate  that  its  execution  devolved  upon  one  so  well  qualified 
in  every  respect  to  do  its  subject  the  most  ample  justice."  The  present  work  con- 
tains, with  very  few  exceptions,  all  the  genuine  reUcs  of  Traditionary  Ballads  first 
given  to  the  world  by  The  Great  Wizard  of  the  North,  who  won  his  spurs  as  collector 
aud  editor  of  the  above-named  work. 

8  For  some  account  of  Mr.  Jamieson's  contributions  to  the  BaUad  Literature  of 
Scotland,  see  ante,  p.  xvi. 


•XXVIU  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION. 

"  Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modern,  with  an  Historical  Intro- 
duction and  Notes.    By  William  Motherwell."    Glasgow,  1827. ' 

"  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs  of  the  North  of  Scotland, 
Hitherto  Unpublished,  With  Explanatory  Notes  by  Peter 
Buchan."  Edinburgh:  printed  for  W.  &  D.  Laing,  and  J. 
Stevenson,  &c.,  1828.     2  vols.  * 

Numerous  collections,  many  of  them  of  considerable  value, 
although  of  minor  importance,  compared  with  those  just  named, 
are  referred  to  under: — * 

1  The  "  Historical  Introduction  and  Notes "  by  Mr.  Motherwell  cannot  be  too 
highly  praised,  and  rendered  his  Minstrelsy  really  invaluable  to  all  who  desired  a 
comprehensive,  and,  at  the  same  time,  minute  acquaintance  with  almost  every- 
thing pertaining  to  or  known  regarding  Sootish  Ballads,  up  to  the  date  of  publication, 
and  prior  to  the  issue  of  the  present  work,  in  which  the  information  he  so  industri- 
ously and  intelligently  gathered  together  and  imparted  is  nearly  all  incorporated  and 
supplemented. 

a  "  The  most  extensive  and  valuable  additions,"  writes  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  which 
have  been  of  late  made  to  this  branch  of  ancient  literature,  are  the  collections  of 
Mr.  Peter  Buchan,  of  Peterhead,  a  person  of  indefatigable  research  in  that  depart- 
ment, and  whose  industry  has  been  crowned  with  the  most  successful  resvilts ; "  and 
again — "  Of  the  originality  of  the  ballads  in  Mr.  Buchan's  collection,  we  do  not  enter- 
ain  the  slightest  doubt"  After  stating  several  good  and  valid  reasons  for  this  opinion, 
he  further  adds, — "Accordingly,  we  have  never  seen  any  Collection  of  Scottish 
Poetry  appearing,  from  internal  evidence,  bo  decidedly  and  indubitably  original. 
It  is  perhaps  a  pity  that  Mr.  Buchan  did  not  remove  some  obvious  errors  and 
corruptions;  but  in  truth,  though  their  remaining  on  record  is  an  injury  to  the 
effect  of  the  ballads  in  point  of  composition,  it  is,  in  some  degree,  a  proof  of  their 
authenticity." — Introductory  Remarks  on  Popular  Poetry,  Minstrelsy,  vol.  i., 
pp.  85-8. 

3  "Aberdeen  Cantus;  1st.  ed.,  1662;  2nd.  ed.,  1666;  3rd.  ed.,  1682.  Pinkertons 
Scottish  Tragic  Ballads,  1781,  and  Select  Scottish  Ballads,  2  vols.,  1783.  Caw's 
Poetical  Museum,  Hawick,  1784.  -iBitson's  Scottish  Song,  2  vols.,  1794.  Scottish  Poems 
of  the  Sixteenth  Century,  Edited  by  J.  Q-.  Dalzell,  1801.  Finlay's  Scottish  Historical 
and  Romantic  Ballads,  2  vols.,  1808.  Evan's  Old  Ballads,  &c.,  2  vols.,  1777;  4  vols., 
1784 ;  new  ed.,  revised,  1810.  Cromek's  Select  Scottish  Songs,  2  vols.,  1810.  GUchrist's 
Collection  of  Ballads,  &c.,  2  vols.,  1815.  Hogg's  Jacobite  Relics  of  Scotland,  2  vols., 
1819  and  1821.  Smith's  Scottish  Minstrel,  6  vols.,  1820-24.  Struthers'  British  Minstrel, 
1821.  Laing's  (David)  Select  Remains,  &c.,  1822.  Laings  (Alex.),  Scarce  Ancient 
Ballads,  1822,  and  Thistle  of  Scotland,  1823.  Webster's  Curious  Old  Ballads,  1824. 
A  Ballad  Book  by  C.  K.  Sharpe,  1824.  A  North  Countrie  Garland,  by  Maidment,  1824. 
MacTaggart's  Scottish  Gallovidian  Encyclopedia,  1824.  Buchan's  Gleanings,  1825. 
Allan  Cunningham's  Songs  of  Scotland,  4  vols.,  1825.  David  Laing's  £arly  Metrical 
Tales,  1826.  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  1827;  and  The  Ballad  Book,  1827. 
Lyle'B  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  1827.  Jacobite  Minstrelsy,  Glasgow,  1829.  Michel's 
Hughes  de  Lincoln,  &c.,  Paris,  1834.  Maidment's  Ballads,  &c.,  1834.  Dauney's  Ancient 
Scottish  Melodies,  1838.  Madden's  Syr  Gawayne,  Ac,  1839.  Scottish  Traditional  Ver- 
sions of  Ancient  Ballads  [from  a  MS.  of  Peter  Buchan's].  edited  by  J.  H.  Dixon,  1845. 

1  Chambers's  Popular  lihvmes,  &c.  [three  editions,  1826, 1842,  and  1870].  A  New  Book  of 
Old  Ballads,  by  Maidment,  1844.  Whitelaw's  Book  of  Scottish  Ballads,  1845. 
Richardson's  Borderer's  Table  Book,  8  vols..  1841-6.  The  Ballads  and  Songs  of  Ayrshire, 
&C.,  By  James  Paterson  2  parts,  1846-7.  Maidment's  Scottish  Ballads  and  Songs,  1859. 
Bishop  Percy's  Folio  Manuscript,  printed  copy,  3  vols.,  1868.  Maidment's  Scottish  Ballads 
and  Songs,  &c.,  2  vols.,  1868.    Logan's  Pedlar's  Pack,  1868.    Professor  Child's  English 

i  and  Scottish  Ballads,  8  vols.,  1861 — so  often  referred  to  and  commended  in  this  work 
— is  specially  valuable  on  account  of  its  giving  nearly  every  British  Ballad  or  Ballad 
version  worthy  of  preservation.  The  professedly  collated  collections  are: — 
Chambers's  Scottish  Ballads,  &c.V  1829.  Aytoun's  Ballads  of  Scotland,  2  vols.,  1858  ;k 
2nd  edition,  1859.  Allingham's  Ballad  Book  (British)yl864.  Robert's  Legendary  « 
Ballads  of  England  and  Scotland,  1868. 


THE 

BALLAD    MINSTEELSY 

OF 

SCOTLAND, 

ROMANTIC  AND  HISTORICAL. 


PART  I.-EARLY  EOMMnC. 


FAIR  ANNIE  OF  LOCHRYAN. 

The  different  versions  of  this  favourite  baUad  are — 
L  Herd's — "  The  Bonnie  Lass  of  Lochroyan." 

Ancient  and  Modem  Scottish  Songs,  &c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  149. 

II.  Scott's — "The  Lass  of  Lochroyan. " 

Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border,  vol.  iii.,  p.  199. 

III.  Jamieson's — "  Fair  Annie  of  Lochroyan." 

Popular  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  36. 

IV.  Buchan's — "  Love  Gregory." 

Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  &c.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  198. 

The  text  here  printed  has  been  collated  from  the  four  versions 
named  above. 

A  short  fragment  appeared  in  Johnson's  Museum,  vol.  i.,  p.  5; 
and  "Mr.  Cunningham,  in  his  Songs  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.,  p.  298, 
favoured  the  world  with  an  ample  specimen  of  his  own  poetical 
talents,"*  based  on  the  version  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  Songs  on  the 
story  of  "  fair  Annie  "  have  also  been  written  by  Dr.  Wolcot,  Burns, 
and  Jamieson. 

Scott's  version  "is  composed  of  verses  selected  from  three  MS. 
copies,  and  two  obtained  from  recitation.  Two  of  the  copies  are  iu 
Herd's  MS.;  the  third  in  that  of  Mrs.  Brown,  of  Falkland." — 
Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  199. 

•  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introdaction,  p.  Ixil 
B 


BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


Jamieson's  version  is,  he  states,  ' '  given  verbatim  from  tlie  large 
MS.  collection,  transmitted  from  Aberdeen,  by  my  zealous  and 
industrious  friend,  Professor  Robert  Scott,  of  that  University.  It 
was  first  written  down  many  years  ago,  with  no  view  towards  being 
committed  to  the  press  ;  and  is  now  given  from  the  copy  then  taken, 
with  the  addition  only  of  stanzas  22  and  23  (41  and  42  of  the 
present  version),  which  the  editor  has  inserted  from  memory." — 
Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i. ,  p.  36. 

Sir  Walter  Scott  observes,  that  "the  lover,  who,  if  the  story  be 
real,  may  be  supposed  to  have  been  detained  by  sickness,  is  re- 
jiresented  in  the  legend  as  confined  by  fairy  charms  in  au  enchanted 
castle  situated  in  the  sea; "  and  he  adds,  that  "the  ruins  of  ancient 
edifices  are  still  visible  on  the  summits  of  most  of  those  small  islands, 
or  rather  insulated  rocks,  which  lie  along  the  coast  of  Ayrshire  and 
Galloway,  as  Ailsa  and  Big  Scaur. " 

Mr.  Chambers  describes  Lochryan  as  "a  beautiful,  though  some- 
what wild  and  secluded  bay,  which  projects  from  the  Irish  Channel 
into  Wigtonshire  (district  of  GaUoway),  having  the  little  seaport  of 
Stranraer  situated  at  its  bottom." — Scottish  Ballads,  p.  225. 

Concerning  this  ballad.  Bums  remarks : — "It  is  somewhat  singular, 
that  in  Lanark,  Eenfrew,  Ayr,  Wigton,  Kirkcudbright,  and  Dumfries 
shires,  there  is  scarcely  an  old  song  or  tune,  which,  from  the  title,  &c., 
can  be  guessed  to  belong  to,  or  be  the  production  of,  these  counties. 
This,  I  conjecture,  is  one  of  these  very  few,  as  the  ballad,  which  is  a 
long  one,  is  called,  both  by  tradition  and  in  printed  collection.^:,  '  The 
Lass  of  Lochroyan,'  which  I  take  to  be  Lochryan,  in  GaUoway.  ' — 
C'romek's  Reliques,  p.  196. 

With  reference  to  the  "  bonnie  boat."  which  figures  so  prominent!;- 
in  the  ballad,  the  following  extract  may  be  quoted  as  attesting  the 
accuracy  with  which  its  fittings  and  decorations  are  described: — 

"According  to  Froissart,  the  vessels  of  the  French  fleet,  prepared 
for  the  invasion  of  England  in  the  tenth  year  of  Kichard  II. ,  were 
painted  with  arms,  and  gilded ;  their  banners,  pennons,  and 
standards  were  formed  of  silk ;  and  the  masts,  which  glittered  like 
gold,  were  painted  from  the  top  to  the  bottom.  When  the  ancient 
popular  ballads,  therefore,  describe  the  masts  of  a  vessel  as  shining 
like  gold  or  silver,  or  mention  the  '  sails  of  light  green  silk,  and  the 
tows  of  tafietie,'  they  probably  adhere  more  strictly  to  the  antique 
costume  than  a  cursory  observer  would  be  apt  to  imagine." — Leydeu's 
Preliminary  Dissertation  to  TUe  Complaynt  of  ScotlanJ,  p.  116. 


Oh,  it  fell  on  a  Wodensday, 
Lord  Gregory  's  ta'en  the  sea, 

And  he  has  left  his  fair  Annie, 
And  a  weary  woman  was  slie. 

He  hadna  sailed  away  from  her 
A  day  but  barely  three, 

Till  she  has  born  a  fair  young  son 
To  her  Lord  Gregory. 


FAIR  A^'^'IE   OF  LOCHRTAN. 


3  He  hadna  sailed  away  from  her 

A  week  but  barely  ane, 
Till  fair  Annie,  in  child-bed  laid, 
For  Lord  Gregory  did  mane. 

4  "  Oh,  wha  will  shoe  my  bonnie  foot? 

And  wha  will  glove  my  hand? 

And  wha  will  lace  my  middle  jimp 

With  a  lang,  lang  linen  band? 

5  "  Oh,  wha  will  kame  my  yellow  hair 

With  a  new-made  silver  kame? 

And  wha  will  father  my  j'oung  son, 

Till  Lord  Gregory  come  hame?" 

6  "  Thy  father  will  shoe  thy  bonnie  foot, 

Thy  mother  will  glove  thy  hand, 

Thy  sister  will  lace  thy  middle  jimp. 

Till  Lord  Gregory  come  to  land. 

7  "  Thy  brother  will  kame  thy  yellow  hair 

With  a  new-made  silver  kame, 
And  God  will  be  thy  bairn's  father 
Till  Lord  Gregory  come  hame." 

8  She  hadna  born  her  fair  young  son 

A  day  but  barely  three. 
Till  word  has  to  fair  Annie  come, 
Her  lord  she'd  nae  mair  see. 

9  "  Oh,  I  will  get  a  carpenter 

To  build  a  boat  to  me; 
And  I  will  get  bold  mariners, 
With  me  to  sail  the  sea. 

10  •'  And  I  will  seek  him,  love  Gregory, 

In  lands  where'er  he  be; 
Oh,  I  will  gang  to  love  Gregorj^, 
Since  he  canna  come  to  me." 

11  Her  father  he  gar'd  build  a  boat. 

And  fitted  it  royallie; 
The  sails  were  of  the  light  green  silk, 
The  tows  of  taflfetie. 

12  The  masts  of  burnish'd  gold  were  made, 

And  far  o'er  sea  they  shone; 

The  bulwarks  richly  were  inlaid 

With  pearl  and  royal  bone. 


BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


13  At  every  needle  tack  was  in't 

There  hung  a  silver  bell, 
That  softly  tinkled  with  the  breeze, 
Or  salt  sea's  heaving  swell. 

14  And  he  has  gi'en  her  the  bonnie  boat. 

And  sent  her  to  the  strand; 
She 's  ta'en  her  young  son  in  her  arms, 
And  tum'd  her  back  to  land. 

15  She  hadna  saiPd  but  twenty  leagues. 

But  twenty  leagues  and  three, 
When  she  met  with  a  rank  rover. 
And  all  his  companie. 

16  "Now  whether  are  ye  the  queen  hersell 

(For  sae  ye  weel  might  be). 
Or  are  ye  the  lass  of  Lochryau, 
Seekin'  Lord  Gregory?" 

17  "  Oh,  I  am  not  the  queen,"  she  said, 

"  Tho'  sic  I  seem  to  be ; 
But  I  am  the  lass  of  Lochryan, 
Seekin'  Lord  Gregory." 

18  "  Oh,  see  na  thou  yon  bonnie  bower? 

It 's  all  cover'd  o'er  with  tin ; 
When  thou  hast  sail'd  it  round  about. 
Lord  Gregory  is  within." 

19  And  when  she  saw  the  stately  tower. 

Shining  sae  clear  and  bright, 
Whilk  stood  aboou  the  jawing  wave. 
Built  on  a  rock  of  height. 

20  Says — "  Row,  row  ye,  my  mariners. 

And  bring  me  to  the  land! 
For  yonder  I  see  my  love's  castle, 
Close  by  the  salt  sea  strand." 

21  She  sail'd  it  round  and  round  about, 

And  loud  and  sair  cried  she — 
"  Now  break,  now  break,  ye  fairy  charms. 
And  set  my  true  love  free ! " 

22  She 's  ta'en  her  young  son  in  her  arms, 

And  to  the  door  slie  's  gane; 
And  long  she  knock'd,  and  sair  she  call'd, 
But  answer  got  she  nane. 


FAIR  ANNIE   OF  LOCHRTAN. 


23  "  Oh,  open  the  door,  Lord  Gregory ! 

Ob,  open,  and  let  me  in ! 
For  the  wind  blaws  through  my  yellow  hair, 
And  the  rain  draps  o'er  ray  chin." 

24  The  night  was  dark,  and  the  wind  blew  cauld, 

And  lier  love  was  fast  asleep. 
And  the  bairn  that  was  in  her  twa  arms 
Full  sair  began  to  greet. 

25  Lang  stood  she  at  her  true  love's  door, 

And  lang  tirl'd  at  the  pin ; 
At  length  up  got  his  fause  mother, 
Saj'^s — "  Wha  's  that  wou'd  be  in  ?  " 

26  "  Oh,  it  is  Annie  of  Lochryan, 

Your  love  come  o'er  the  sea, 
And  your  young  son  is  in  my  arms, 
Sae  open  the  door  to  me." 

27  "  Awa,  awa,  ye  ill  woman  ! 

Ye're  no  come  here  for  good, 
Ye're  but  some  witch  or  wil'  warlock, 
Or  mermaid  of  the  flood." 

28  "  I  am  neither  witch  nor  wil'  warlock, 

Nor  mermaid  of  the  sea ; 
But  I  am  Annie  of  Lochryan ; 
Oh,  open  the  door  to  me ! " 

29  "If  thou  be  Annie  of  Lochryan 

(As  I  trow  thou  binna  she), 
Now  tell  me  some  of  the  love-tokens 
That  pass'd  between  thee  and  me." — 

30  "  Oh,  dinna  ye  mind.  Lord  Gregory, 

As  we  twa  sat  at  dine. 
We  chang'd  the  rings  frae  our  fingers, 
And  I  can  show  thee  thine? 

31  "  Oh,  yours  was  gude,  and  gude  enough, 

But  no  sae  gude  as  mine ; 
For  yours  was  of  the  gude  red  gold, 
But  mine  of  the  diamond  fine. 

32  "  Now  open  the  door,  Lord  Gregory, 

Open  the  door,  I  pray ! 
For  thy  young  son  is  in  my  arms, 
And  will  be  deid  ere  day." 


BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


33  "  If  thou  be  the  lass  of  Lochryan 

(As  I  kenna  thou  to  be), 
Tell  me  some  mair  of  the  love-tokens 
Pass'd  between  me  and  thee." 

34  "  Oh,  dinna  ye  mind,  Lord  Gregory, 

"When  we  sat  at  the  wine, 
How  we  chang'd  the  napkins  frae  our  necks- 
It 's  nae  sae  lang  sinsyne? 

35  "  And  yours  was  gude,  and  gude  enough, 

But  nae  sae  gtide  as  mine  ; 
For  yours  was  of  the  cambric  clear, 
But  mine  of  the  silk  sae  fine. 

36  "  Sae  open  the  door,  now,  love  Gregory, 

And  open  it  with  speed; 
Or  your  young  son,  that  is  in  my  arms, 
With  cauld  will  soon  be  deid." 

37  "  Awa,  awa,  ye  ill  woman, 

Gae  frae  my  door  for  shame; 
For  I  ha'e  gotten  anither  fair  love, 
Sae  ye  may  hie  ye  hame." 

88     "  Oh,  ha'e  ye  gotten  anither  fair  love, 

For  all  the  oaths  ye  sware? 

Then  fare  ye  weel,  fause  Gregory, 

For  me  ye's  ne'er  see  mair ! " 

39  Fair  Annie  turn'd  her  round  about — 

"  Weel !  since  that  it  be  sae, 
May  ne'er  a  woman  that  has  born  a  son 
Ha'e  a  heart  sae  full  of  wae! " 

40  Oh,  hooly,  hooly  gaed  she  back, 

As  the  day  began  to  peep ; 
She  set  her  foot  on  good  ship  board, 
And  sair,  sair  did  she  weep. 

41  "  Take  down,  take  down  the  mast  of  gold, 

Set  up  the  mast  of  tree ; 
111  sets  it  a  forsaken  lady 
To  sail  sae  gallantlie. 

42  "Take  down,  take  down  the  sails  of  silk. 

Set  up  the  sails  of  skin ; 
111  sets  the  outside  to  be  gay, 
When  there 's  sic  crrief  within  ! " 


FAIR  ANNIE    OF   LOCH  RYAN. 


When  the  cock  had  crawn,  and  the  day  did  dawn, 

And  the  sun  began  to  peep, 
Lord  Gregory  started  frae  his  sleep, 

And  sair,  sair  did  he  weep. 


44  "  Oh,  I  ha'e  dream'd  a  dream,  mother, 

I  wish  it-may  prove  true, 
That  the  bonnie  lass  of  Lochryan 
Was  at  the  yate  e'en  now. 

45  "  Oh,  T  ha'e  dream'd  a  dream,  mother, 

I  wdsh  it  be  not  sae ; 
I  dream'd  a  dream  last  night,  mother, 
That  gars  my  heart  feel  wae. 

46  "  I  dream'd  that  Annie  of  Lochryan. 

The  flower  of  all  her  kin. 
Was  standin'  mournin'  at  my  door. 
But  nana  wou'd  let  her  in. 

47  "  Oh,  I  ha'e  dream'd  a  dream,  mother— 

The  thought  o't  gars  me  greet — 
That  fair  Annie  of  Lochryan 
Lay  cauld  deid  at  my  feet." 

48  "  If  it  be  for  Annie  of  Lochryan 

That  ye  make  all  this  din. 
She  stood  all  last  night  at  your  door. 
But  I  trow  she  wan  na  in." 

49  "  Oh,  wae  betide  ye,  ill  woman  ! 

An  ill  deid  may  ye  dee! 
>    That  wadna  open  the  door  to  her. 
Nor  yet  wou'd  wauken  me." 

50  Oh,  lie's  gane  down  to  yon  shore  side 

As  fast  as  he  cou'd  fare; 
He  saw  fair  Annie  in  the  boat, 
But  the  wind  it  toss'd  her  sair. 

51  "  And  hey,  Annie  !  and  how,  Annie  ! 

0  Annie,  winna  ye  bide?" 
But  aye  the  mair  he  cried  "  Annie," 
The  braider  grew  the  tide. 

52  "  And  hey,  Annie!  and  how,  Annie! 

Dear  Annie,  speak  to  me ! " 
But  aye  the  louder  he  cried  "  Annie," 
The  louder  roar'd  the  sea. 


BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


53  The  wind  grew  loud,  the  sea  grew  rough, 

And  the  ship  was  rent  in  twain; 
And  soon  he  saw  her,  fair  Annie, 
Come  floating  o'er  the  main. 

54  He  saw  his  young  son  in  her  arms, 

Baith  toss'd  aboon  the  tide ; 
He  wrang  his  hands,  and  plung'd  himsell 
Into  the  sea  sae  wide. 

55  The  wind  blew  loud,  the  sea  grew  rough, 

And  dashed  the  boat  on  shore; 
Fair  Annie  floated  through  the  foam, 
But  the  babie  rase  no  more. 

56  Lord  Gregory  tore  his  yellow  hair. 

And  made  a  heavy  moan ; 
Fair  Annie's  corpse  lay  at  his  feet — 
Her  bonnie  young  son  was  gone. 

57  Oh,  cherry,  cherry  was  her  cheek, 

And  golden  was  her  hair ; 
But  clay-cauld  were  her  rosy  lips — 
Nae  spark  of  life  was  there. ' 

58  And  first  he  kiss'd  her  cherry  cheek, 

And  syne  he  kiss'd  her  chin. 

And  syne  he  kiss'd  her  rosy  lips — 

There  was  nae  breath  within. 

59  "  Oh,  wae  betide  my  cruel  mother  ! 

An  ill  death  may  she  dee  ! 
She  turu'd  my  true  love  frae  my  door, 
Wha  came  sae  far  to  me. 

60  "  Oh,  wae  betide  my  cruel  mother  ! 

An  ill  death  may  she  dee ! 
She  turned  fair  Annie  frae  my  door, 
Wha  died  for  love  of  me." 

61  Oh,  he  has  mourn'd  o'er  fair  Annie, 

Till  the  sun  was  ganging  down ; 
Syne  with  a  sigh  his  heart  it  burst. 
And  his  saul  to  heaven  has  flown. 


THE   DROVTNED   LOVERS. 


THE  DROWNED  LOVERS ;  or,  WILLIE  AND  MAY 
MARGARET. 

A  fragment  of  this  ballad,  extending  to  sixteen  stanzas,  first  appeared, 
under  tne  title  of  "  Willie  and  May  Margaret,"  in  Jamieson's  Popular 
Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  134,  where  he  says,  "it  was  taken  from  the 
recitation  of  Mrs.  Brown  of  Falkland."  Motherwell  reprinted  the 
same  fragment  in  his  Minstrelsy,  p.  155 ;  and  in  his  Appendix  ii. , 
p.  iii.,  appear  sixteen  additional  stanzas,  completing  the  ballad,  which 
was  also  given  in  a  complete  state  by  Buchan,  imder  the  title  of 
"The  Drowned  Lovers." — Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  voL  i.,  p.  140. 

The  earUer  stanzas  of  this  latter  version  differ  in  a  few  unimportant 
particulars  from  those  of  Jamieson's  fragment. 

Professor  Aytoun  printed  Mr.  Jamieson's  version,  with  the 
addition  of  "three  stanzas,  from  Mr.  Buchan's,"  under  the  title 
of  "The  Mother's  Malison,"  as  he  considered  that  "there  is  a 
superfluity  of  Willies  and  Margarets  in  our  popular  minstrelsy." — 
The  Ballads  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.,  p.  155. 

Buchan's  version  is  the  one  here  generally  followed. 

The  fatal  end  of  both  lovers  is  brought  about  through  the  deception 
of  a  malicious  mother,  who  answers  in  the  assumed  voice  of  a  lover, 
in  which  respect  it  resembles  the  preceding  ballad,  "Fair  Annie  of 
Lochryan." 

A  similar  ballad  of  the  North,  but  apparently  of  later  date,  named, 
"Willie's  Drowned  in  Gameiy,"  appears  in  a  subsequent  portion  of 
this  collection. 

1  Willie  stands  in  his  stable  door, 

Clapping  Lis  coal-black  steed; 
And  looking  o'er  his  white  fingers, 
His  nose  began  to  bleed. 

2  "  Gi'e  corn  to  my  horse,  mother, 

And  meat  to  my  man,  John ; 

And  I'll  awa  to  Marg'ret's  bower, 

Before  the  night  comes  on." 

3  "  Oh,  bide  this  night  with  me,  Willie, 

Oh,  bide  this  night  with  me  ; 
The  best,  an'  fowl  of  all  the  roost 
At  your  supper  shall  be." 

4  "  All  your  fowls,  and  all  your  roosts, 

I  value  not  a  prin ; 
Sae  I'll  awa  to  Marg'ret's  bower, 
Before  the  night  sets  in." 


10  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OK   SCOTLAND. 


5  "  Stay  this  night  with  me,  Willie, 

Oh,  stay  this  night  with  me; 
The  best,  an'  sheep  in  all  the  flock, 
At  your  supper  shall  be." 

6  "  All  your  sheep,  and  all  your  flocks, 

I  value  not  a  prin ; 
Sae  I'll  aAva  to  Marg'ret's  bower, 
I  maun  be  there  this  e'en." 

7  "  Oh,  stay  at  home,  my  son,  Willie, 

The  wind  blaws  cauld  and  shrill; 
The  night  will  be  baith  mirk  and  late, 
Ere  her  bower  ye  win  till." 

8  "  Oh,  tho'  the  night  were  e'er  sae  mirk. 

Or  the  wind  blew  e'er  sae  cauld, 
I  will  be  in  May  Marg'ret's  bower 
Before  twa  hours  be  tauld." 

9  "  Oh,  an'  ye  gang  to  Marg'ret's  bower, 

Without  the  leave  of  me, 
In  the  deepest  pot*  of  Clyde's  water, 
My  malison  drown  thee." 

10  "  The  gude  steed  that  I  ride  upon 

Cost  me  thrice  threttie  pound  ; 
And  I'll  put  trust  in  his  swift  feet, 
To  take  me  safe  and  sound." 

11  He  mounted  on  his  coal-black  steed. 

And  fast  he  rode  awa; 
But  ere  he  came  to  Clyde's  water, 
Full  loud  the  wind  did  blaw. 

12  As  he  rade  o'er  yon  high,  high  hill. 

And  down  yon  dowie  den. 
The  noise  that  was  in  Clyde's  water 
Wou'd  fear'd  five  hunder  men. 

13  "  Oh,  roaring  Clyde,  ye  roar  ower  loud, 

Your  streams  seem  wondrous  Strang; 
Make  me  your  wreck  as  I  come  back, 
But  spare  me  as  I  gang." 

14  His  heart  was  warm,  his  pride  was  up; 

Sweet  Willie  kentna  fear; 
But  yet  his  mother's  malison 
Aye  sounded  in  his  ear. 

*  "  Pot; "  hole,  or  eddy-pooL 


THE   DKOW^NED   LOVERS.  H 


15  Oh,  he  has  swam  through  Clyde  water, 

Though  it  was  wide  and  deep ; 
And  he  came  to  May  Marg'ret's  door 
When  all  were  fast  asleep. 

16  Oh,  he  's  gane  round  and  round  about, 

And  titPd  at  the  pin; 
But  doors  were  steek'd,  and  windows  barr'd, 
And  nane  would  let  him  in. 

17  "Oh,  open  the  door  to  me,  Marg'ret — 

Oh,  open  and  let  me  in ! 
For  my  boots  are  full  of  Clyde's  water, 
And  frozen  to  the  brim." 

18  "  Oh,  wha  is  this  at  my  bower  door 

That  calls  me  by  my  name?" 
"  It  is  your  first  love,  sweet  Willie, 
This  night  newly  come  hame." 

19  "I  ha'e  some  lovers  without,  without. 

And  I  ha'e  some  within ; 
But  the  best  lover  that  e'er  I  had, 
He  was  here  late  yestreen." 

20  "  Oh,  if  ye  winna  open  the  door, 

Nor  yet  be  kind  to  me, 
Now  tell  me  of  some  out-chamber 
Where  I  this  night  may  be." 

21  "  My  barns  are  full  of  corn,  Willie ; 

My  stables  are  full  of  hay ; 
My  bowers  are  full  of  merry  young  men, 
They  winna  remove  till  day." 

22  "  Oh,  fare  ye  wee),  then,  May  Marg'ret, 

Since  better  maunna  be; 
I've  won  my  mother's  malison 
Coming  this  night  to  thee." 

23  He  's  mounted  on  his  coal-black  steed — 

Oh,  but  his  heart  was  wae! 

But  ere  he  came  to  Clyde  water, 

'Twas  half  up  o'er  the  brae. 

24  And  when  he  came  to  Clyde  water, 

'Twas  flowing  o'er  the  brim; 
The  rushing  that  was  in  Clyde  water 
Took  Willie's  cane  frae  him. 


12  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


25  He  lean'd  him  o'er  his  saddle  bow, 

To  catch  his  cane  again; 
The  rushing  that  was  in  Clyde  water 
Took  Willie's  hat  frae  him. 

26  He  lean'd  him  o'er  his  saddle  bow, 

To  catch  his  hat  by  force; 
The  rushing  that  was  in  Clyde  water 
Took  Willie  frae  his  horse. 

27  His  brother  stood  upon  the  bank. 

Says — "  F5"e,  man,  will  ye  droon? 
Ye'U  turn  ye  to  your  high  horse  head. 
And  learn  ye  how  to  soom." 

28  "  How  can  I  turn  to  my  high  horse  head, 

And  learn  me  how  to  soom? 
Tve  gotten  my  mother's  malison, — 
It 's  here  that  I  maun  droon." 

29  The  very  hour  the  young  man  sank 

Into  the  pot  sae  deep. 
Up  it  waken'd  her.  May  Marg'ret, 
Out  of  her  drowsy  sleep. 

30  "  Come  here,  come  here,  my  mother  dear, 

And  read  this  dreary  dream; 
I  dream'd  my  love  was  at  our  yetts, 
And  nane  wou'd  let  him  in." 

31  "  Lye  still,  lye  still  now.  May  Marg'ret, 

Lye  still,  and  take  your  rest, 
Since  your  true  love  was  at  our  yetts, 
It 's  but  twa  quarters  past." 

32  Nimbly,  nimbly  rase  she  up, 

And  nimbly  put  she  on; 
And  nimbly  to  Clyde  water  sido 
May  Margaret  has  gone. 

33  When  she  came  to  Clyde  water  side. 

Right  boldly  slie  stepp'd  in; 
And  loud  her  true  love's  name  slie  call'd, 
But  louder  blew  the  win'. 

3i    The  firsten  step  that  she  stepp'd  in, 
Her  flesh  with  cauld  did  ci'eep , 
"  Alas,  alas !"  the  lady  said, 
"  This  water 's  cauld  and  deep. 


PRINCE   ROBERT.  13 


35     The  neisteu  step  that  she  wade  in, 
She  waded  to  the  knee ; 
Says  she — "  I  would  wade  further  in, 
If  I  my  love  cou'd  see." 

S6    The.neisten  step  that  she  wade  in, 
Sh6  waded  to  the  chin; 
The  deepest  pot  in  Clyde  water 
She  got  sweet  Willie  in. 

27     "  You've  had  a  cruel  mother,  Willie, 
And  I  have  had  another; 
But  we  shall  sleep  in  Clyde  water, 
Like  sister  and  like  brother." 


PRINCE  ROBERT. 


First  published,  "from  the  recitation  of  a  lady  nearly  related  to 
the  editor,"  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Boi-der,  voL  iii, 
p.  2G9. 

Another  version  appeared  in  Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modem,  p. 
200,  "  given,"  saj's  Motherwell,  "  from  the  recitation  of  an  old  woman, 
a  native  of  Bonhill,  in  Dumbartonshire  ;  and  it  is  one  of  the  earliest 
songs  she  remembers  of  having  heard  chanted  on  the  classic  banks  of 
the  Water  of  Leven.  The  variations  between  the  two  copies  are 
not  very  many  or  striking." 

Motherwell's  version  has  furnished  a  few  emendations  on  Scott  s 
text;  while  stanzas  8  and  10  are  partly,  and  12  wholly,  derived  from 
it.  The  stanzas  corresponding  to  stanzas  9  and  14,  of  the  text  here 
Ijrinted,  are  also  given  at  the  bottom  of  the  respective  pages. 

Motherwell  further  states,  in  his  Introduction  (p.  Ixxxiii.,  note  95), 
that  he  had  "  seen  a  third  copy,  which  gives  two  stanzas  not  found 
in  either  of  the  sets  before  the  public  : " — 

"  Lord  Robert  and  Mary  Florence, 
They  were  twa  children  ying: 
They  were  scarce  seven  years  of  age, 
Till  love  began  to  spring. 

"Lord  Robert  loved  Mary  Florence, 
And  she  lov'd  him  above  power  ; 
But  he  dnrst  not,  for  his  cruel  mither, 
Bring  her  intill  his  bower."  "  • 

"  Lady  Isabel,"  which  immediately  follows,  and  "  Clerk  Tamas," 
which  appears  further  on,  are  both  similar  to  "Prince  Robert"  in 
the  method  of  poisoning  described. 

1     Prince  Robert  has  wedded  a  gay  ladye, 
He  has  wedded  her  with  a  ring ; 
Prince  Robert  has  wedded  a  gay  ladye, 
But  he  darena  bring  her  hame. 


14  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


2  "  Your  blessing,  your  blessing,  my  mother  dear ! 

Your  blessing  now  grant  to  me  ! " 
"  Instead  of  a  blessing,  ye  sliall  have  my  curse, 
And  you'll  get  nae  blessing  frae  me." 

3  She  has  call'd  upon  her  waiting-maid 

To  fill  a  glass  of  wine ; 
She  has  call'd  upon  her  fause  steward 
To  put  rank  poison  in. 

4  She  has  put  it  to  her  haggard  *  lips, 

And  to  her  haggard  chin; 
She  has  put  it  to  her  fause,  fause  mouth, 
But  never  a  drap  gaed  in. 

5  He  has  put  it  to  his  bonnie  mouth, 

And  to  his  bonnie  chin ; 
He  has  put  it  to  his  cherry  lips, 
And  the  rank  poison  ran  in. 

6  "  Oh,  you  ha'e  poison'd  your  ae  son,  mother. 

Your  ae  son  and  your  heir; 
Oh,  ye  ha'e  poison'd  your  ae  son,  mother, 
And  sons  you'll  never  ha'e  main 

7  "  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  little  boy, 

That  will  win  hose  and  shoon, 
To  rin  sae  fast  to  Darlinton, 
And  bid  fair  Eleanor  come  ?  " 

8  Then  up  and  spake  a  little  boy. 

To  Prince  Robert  something  akin : 
"  I've  oft  with  joy  your  errands  ran, 
But  this  day  with  the  tears  I'll  rin." 

9  Oh,  he  has  run  to  Darlinton, 

And  tirl'd  at  the  pin  ; 
And  wha  was  sae  ready  as  Eleanor, 
To  let  the  bonnie  boy  in  ?  f 

10     "  What  news,  what  news,  my  bonnie  boy. 
What  news  ha'e  ye  to  me?" 
"  I  bring  a  message  frae  Prince  llobert, 
And  his  lady  mother,  to  thee. 

*  The  original  reads  "roudes,"  in  place  of  "haggard,"  in  both  this  and  the  fol- 
lowing line. 

t  Motherwell's  version  has  the  following  stanza  here: — 
"  Oh,  when  he  came  to  Sittingen's  rocks. 
To  the  middle  of  a'  the  ha'. 
There  were  bells  a-ringing,  and  music  playing, 
And  ladies  dancing  a'.'' 
Contrast  this  with  stanza  U. 


PBIXCE  ROBERT.  15 


11  "  Your  gude-mother  has  made  ye  a  rare  dinner, 

She 's  made  it  baith  gude  and  fine ; 
Your  gude-mother  has  made  ye  a  gay  dinner, 
And  ye  maun  come  to  her  and  dine." 

12  She  call'd  unto,  her  waiting-maid, 

To  bring  her  a  riding  weed ; 
And  she  call'd  to  her  stable  groom, 
To  saddle  her  milk-white  steed. 

13  Oh,  it 's  twenty  lang  miles  to  Sillertoun  town, 

The  langest  that  ever  were  gane  : 
But  the  steed  it  was  wight,  and  the  ladye  was  light, 
And  she  rade  briskly  in. 

14  But  when  she  came  to  Sillertoun  town, 

And  into  Sillertoun  hall, 
The  torches  were  burning,  the  ladies  were  mourning, 
And  they  were  weeping  all.* 

15  "  Oh,  where  is  now  my  wedded  lord? 

And  where  now  can  he  be  ? 
Oh,  where  is  now  my  wedded  lord  ? 
For  him  I  canna  see." 

IG     "  Your  wedded  lord,"  his  mother  said, 
"  Will  soon  be  laid  in  the  clay : 
Your  wedded  lord  is  dead,"  she  said, 
"  And  will  be  buried  the  day. 

17  "  Ye'se  get  nane  of  his  gowd,  ye'se  get  nane  of  his  gear, 

Ye'se  get  nae  thing  frae  me ; 
Ye'se  no  get  an  inch  of  his  gude  braid  land, 
Though  your  heart  shou'd  burst  in  three." 

18  "  I  want  nane  of  his  gowd,  I  want  nane  of  his  gear, 

I  want  nae  land  frae  thee ; 
But  I'll  ha'e  the  rings  frae  his  wee  finger, 
For  them  he  did  promise  to  me." 

10     '■  Ye'se  no  get  the  rings  frae  his  wee  finger, 
Ye'se  no  get  them  frae  me ; 
Ye'se  no  get  the  rings  frae  his  wee  finger. 
An'  your  heart  shou'd  burst  in  three." 

•  The  corresponding  stanza  in  Motherwell's  version  reads — 

"  But  when  she  came  to  Earl  Kobert's  bouir, 
To  the  middle  of  a'  the  ha'. 
There  were  bells  a-ringing,  and  sheets  down  hinging; 
And  ladles  inurning  a'.' 


16  BALLAD  MIHrSTRELST   OF   SCOTLAND. 


20  She's  turned  her  back  unto  the  wall, 

And  her  face  unto  a  rock ; 
And  there,  before  the  mother's  face. 
Her  very  heart  it  broke. 

21  The  ane  was  buried  in  Marie's  kirk, 

The  other  in  Marie's  quire ; 
And  out  of  the  ane  there  sprang  a  birk, 
And  out  of  the  other  a  brier. 

22  And  thae  twa  met,  and  thae  twa  plat. 

The  birk  but  and  the  brier; 
And  by  that  ye  may  very  weel  ken 
They  were  twa  lovers  dear. 


LADY  ISABEL. 
Abridged  from  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  129. 

1  'TwAS  early  on  a  May  morning. 

Lady  Isabel  comb'd  her  hair ; 
But  little  kenn'd  she  on  the  morn 
She  would  never  comb  it  mair. 

2  Ben  it  came  her  stepmother, 

As  wroth  as  wroth  cou'd  be ; 
"  It 's  tauld  me  that  your  father  loves 
You  better  far  than  me." 

3  "  Oh,  them  that  tauld  you  that,  mother, 

Ha'e  done  it  for  some  spite ; 
Oh,  them  that  tauld  j'ou  that,  mother, 
May  God  their  ill  requite." 

4  "  It  may  be  very  well  seen,  Isabel, 

It  may  be  very  well  seen. 
He  buys  to  you  the  damask  gowns, 
To  me  the  dowie  green." 


"  Ye  are  of  age,  and  I  am  young. 
And  young  among  my  flowers ; 

The  fairer  that  my  claithing  be, 
The  mair  honour  is  yours. 

"  I  ha'e  a  love  beyond  the  sea. 
And  far  ayont  the  faem ; 

For  ilka  gown  my  father  buys, 
My  love  sends  me  ten  hame." 


LADY   ISABEL.  17 


7  "  Come  ben,  now,  Lady  Isabel, 

And  drink  the  wine  with  me; 
I  ha'e  twa  jewels  in  ae  coffer. 
And  I'll  gi'e  ane  to  thee." 

8  "  Stay  still,  stay  still,  my  mother  dear, 

Stay  still  a  little  while, 
Till  I  gang  into  Marykirk, — 
It's  but  a  little  mile." 

9  "When  she  gaed  on  to  Marykirk, 

And  into  Mary's  quair. 
There  she  saw  her  ain  mother 
Sit  in  a  gowden  chair. 

10  "  Oh,  will  I  leave  the  lands,  mother? 

And  shall  I  sail  the  sea? 
Or  shall  I  drink  this  dowie  drink 
That  is  prepared  for  me?  " 

11  "Ye  winna  leave  the  lands,  daughter, 

Nor  will  ye  sail  the  sea. 
But  ye  will  drink  the  drink  prepared 
By  this  woman  for  thee. 

12  "  Your  bed  is  made  in  a  better  place 

Than  ever  hers  will  be ; 
And  ere  ye're  call'd  into  the  room, 
Ye  will  be  there  with  me." 

13  She  gaed  unto  her  garden  green, 

Her  Marys  all  to  see; 
And  ga'e  to  each  a  broach  or  ring, 
A  keepsake  for  to  be. 

14  Then  slowly  to  the  bower  she  gaed, 

And  slowly  enter'd  in; 
And  being  full  of  courtesie. 

Says — "  Begin,  mother,  begin." 

15  She  put  it  to  her  fause,  iause  cheek, 

Sae  did  she  to  her  chin; 
Sae  did  she  to  her  fause,  fause  lips, 
But  never  drap  gaed  in. 

16  Lady  Isabel  put  it  to  her  cheek, 

Sae  did  she  to  her  chin; 
Sae  did  she  to  her  rosy  lips, 
And  the  rank  poison  gaed  in. 
c 


18  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  "  Oh,  take  this  cup  frae  me,  mother, 

Oh,  take  this  cup  frae  me ; 
My  bed  is  made  in  a  better  place 
Than  ever  yours  will  be. 

18  "  My  bed  is  in  the  heavens  high, 

Amang  the  angels  fine; 
But  yours  is  in  the  lowest  hell. 
To  drie,  torment,  and  pine." 

19  Nae  mane  was  made  for  Lady  Isabel, 

In  bower  where  she  lay  dead; 
But  all  was  for  that  ill  woman 
In  the  fields  gaed  raving  mad. 


WILLIE'S  LADYE. 

ANCIENT  COPY. — FIRST   PUBLISHED   BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 

"Mr.  Lewis,  in  his  Tales  of  Wonder  (No.  56),  has  presented  the 
public  with  a  copy  of  this  ballad,  with  additions  and  alterations. 
The  editor  has  also  seen  a  copy,  containing  some  modern  stanzas, 
pubhshed  by  Mr.  Jamieson,  of  Macclesfield,  in  his  Collection  of 
Scottish  Poetry.  Yet,  under  these  disadvantages,  the  editor  cannot 
relinquish  his  purpose  of  publishing  the  old  ballad,  in  its  native 
simplicity,  as  taken  from  Mrs.  Brown  of  Falkland's  MS. 

"Those  who  wish  to  know  how  an  incantation,  or  charm,  of  the 
distressing  nature  hei'e  described,  was  performed  in  classic  days,  may 
consult  the  story  of  Galanthis's  Alctamorphosis,  in  Ovid,  or  the 
following  passage  in  Apuleius: — '  Eadem  (Saga  scilicet  quasdam) 
amatoris  uxorem,  quod  in  earn  dicacule  probrum  dixerat,  jam  in 
sarcinam  prsegnationis,  obsepto  utero,  et  repigrato  fcetu,  perpetua 
prsegnatione  danmavit.  Et  ut  cuncti  numerant,  octo  annorum  onere, 
misella  ilia,  velut  elephantum  paritura,  distenditur.' — Apul.,  Metam., 
lib.  i. 

"There  is  also  a  curious  tale  about  a  Count  of  Westeravia,  whom  a 
deserted  concubine  bewitched  upon  his  marriage,  so  as  to  preclude 
all  hopes  of  his  becoming  a  father.  The  spell  continued  to  operate 
for  three  years,  till  one  day,  the  Count  happening  to  meet  with  his 
former  mistress,  she  maliciously  asked  about  the  increase  of  his 
family.  The  Count,  conceiving  some  suspicion  from  her  manner, 
craftUy  answered,  that  God  had  blessed  him  with  three  fine  children ; 
on  which  she  exclaimed,  like  Willie's  mother  in  the  ballad,  '  May 
heaven  confound  the  old  hag,  by  whose  counsel  I  threw  an  enchanted 
pitcher  into  the  draw-well  of  your  palace ! '  The  spell  being  found 
and  destroyed,  the  Count  became  the  father  of  a  numerous  family 
(Hierarchie  of  the  Blessed  Angels,  p.  474)." — Sir  Walter  Scott's  Min- 
strelsy, vol.  iii.,  p.  168. 

To  complete  the  story,  stanzas  15  and  16  are  adapted  with  slight 


WILLIE'S  LADYE.  19 


alteration  from  Jamieson's  version,  wbicli  appears  under  the  title  of 
"  Sweet  Willie,"  in  Popular  Ballads,  &c.,  vol,  ii.,  p.  367. 

The  modernized  copy  which  Sir  Walter  Scott  refers  to  is  probably 
"Sweet  Willie  of  Liddesdale. " — Popular  Ballads,  &c.,  voL  ii.,  p.  178, 

The  last  two  lines  of  stanzas  5  and  9  are  the  same  as  the  two  con- 
cluding lines  of  "  Kemp  Owyne," 

It  is  probable  that  in  this  ballad  the  last  line  of  these  stanzas 
originally  read — 

"  I  wish  that  I  were  dea>d  and  gane," 

and  that  the  last  word  of  stanzas  3,  7,  and  11,  originally  read  "  wean," 
in  place  of  "bairn." 

There  is  a  Danish  ballad,  "Sir  Stig  and  Lady  Torelild,"  on  the 
same  subject,  a  translation  of  which  is  given  by  Jamieson,  in  Illus- 
trations of  Northern  Antiquities,  p.  344,  and  "is  the  eighth  (marked 
H)  of  nine  Danish  ballads  given  by  Grundtvig,  under  the  title 
Hustru  og  Mands  Moder,  vol.  ii.,  p.  404.  Three  Swedish  versions  have 
[also]  been  printed."^ — Prof.  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i., 
p.  162, 

1     Willie  has  ta'en  him  o'er  the  faem, 

He 's  wooed  a  wife,  and  brought  her  hame ; 
He  's  wooed  her  for  her  yellow  hair, 
But  his  mother  wrought  her  meikle  care ; 

'  2     And  meikle  dolour  gar'd  her  dree, 

For  lighter  she  can  never  be ; 
But  in  her  bow'r  she  sits  with  pain, 
And  Willie  mourns  o'er  her  in  vain. 

3  And  to  his  mother  he  has  gane, 
That  vile  rank  witch,  of  vilest  kind ! 
He  says — "  My  lady  has  a  cup, 
With  gowd  and  silver  set  about; 
This  gudely  gift  shall  be  your  ain, 
And  let  her  be  lighter  of  her  bairn." 

4  "  Of  her  bairn  she  's  never  be  lighter. 
Nor  in  her  bow'r  to  shine  the  brighter; 
But  she  shall  die,  and  turn  to  clay, 
And  you  shall  wed  another  may." 

5  "  Another  may  I'll  never  wed, 
Another  may  I'll  never  bring  hame." 
But,  sighing,  said  that  weary  wight — 
"  I  wish  my  life  were  at  an  end." 

G     "  Yet  gae  ye  to  your  mother  again, 
That  vile  rank  witch,  of  vilest  kind ! 
And  say,  your  ladye  has  a  steed, 
The  like  of  him  's  no  in  the  land  of  Leed.* 

*"Land  of  Leed:""  perhaps  Lydia.  [Scott.]  Not  at  all  probable:  more  likely 
either  Liddesdale  or  the  distxict  of  Leadhills,  Lanarkshire. 


20  BALLAD   MINSTRELSr  OF   SCOTLAND. 


7  "  For  he  is  silver  shod  before, 
And  he  is  gowden  shod  behind; 
At  every  tuft  of  that  horse  mane 

There  's  a  golden  chess,*  and  a  bell  to  ring. 
This  gudely  gift  shall  be  her  ain, 
And  let  me  be  lighter  of  my  bairn." 

8  "  Of  her  young  bairn  she  's  ne'er  be  lighter, 
Nor  in  her  bow'r  to  shine  the  brighter; 
But  she  shall  die,  and  turn  to  clay, 

And  ye  shall  wed  another  may." 

9  "  Another  may  I'll  never  wed, 
Another  may  I'll  never  bring  hame." 
But,  sighing,  said  that  weary  wight — 
"  I  wish  my  life  were  at  an  end ! " 

10  "  Yet  gae  ye  to  your  mother  again. 
That  vile  rank  witch,  of  rankest  kind  ! 
And  say,  your  ladye  has  a  girdle, 

It 's  all  red  gowd  to  the  middle ; 

11  "  And  aye,  at  ilka  siller  hem. 
Hang  fifty  siller  bells  and  ten ; 
This  gudely  gift  shall  be  her  ain, 
And  let  me  be  lighter  of  my  bairn." 

12  "  Of  her  young  bairn  she  's  ne'er  be  lighter, 
Nor  in  your  bow'r  to  shine  the  brighter ; 
For  she  shall  die,  and  turn  to  clay, 

And  thou  shall  wed  another  may." 

13  "  Another  may  I'll  never  wed. 
Another  may  I'll  never  bring  hame." 
But,  sighing,  said  that  weary  wight— 
"  I  wish  my  days  were  at  an  end  ! " 

14  Then  out  and  spak  the  Billy  Blind,  t 
He  spak  aye  in  good  time  [his  mind] : — 
"  Yet  gae  ye  to  the  market  place. 

And  there  do  buy  a  loaf  of  wace ;  J 
Do  shape  it  bairn  and  bairnly  like. 
And  in  it  two  glassen  een  you'll  put. 

*  "  Chess  " — should  probably  be  jess — the  name  of  a  hawk"s  bell.— Scott 

t  "Billy  Blind:'"  a  familiar  genius,  or  propitious  spirit,  somewhat  similar  to  the 
Brownie.  He  is  mentioned  repeatedly  in  Mrs.  Brown's  ballads ;  but  I  have  not  met 
with  him  anywhere  else,  although  he  is  alluded  to  in  the  i-ustic  game  of  Bogle 
(t.  e,  goblin)  Billy  Blind.  The  word  is,  indeed,  used  in  Sir  David  Lindsay's  Plays, 
but  apparently  in  a  different  sense : — 

"  Priests  sail  laid  you  like  ane  Billy  BHnde." 

Pinkerton's  Scottish  Pvems,  1792,  vol.  ii.,  p.  232. 
i  "Wace: "  wax. 


KEJIP   OWYNE.  21 


15  "  Then  to  your  mother  you  shall  go, 
And  bid  her  your  boy's  christening  to  ; 
But  do  you  stand  a  little  away, 

And  notice  weel  what  she  may  say." 

16  Then  to  his  mother  he  did  go. 

And  bade  her  his  boy's  christening  to ; 

And  he  did  stand  a  little  away. 

To  notice  weel  what  she  might  say. 

17  "  Oh,  wha  has  loosed  the  nine  witch-knots 
That  were  amang  that  ladye's  locks  ? 
And  wha 's  ta'en  out  the  kames  of  care, 
That  were  araang  that  ladye's  hair  ? 

18  "  And  wha  has  ta'erj  down  that  bush  of  woodbine 
That  hung  between  her  bow'r  and  mine  ? 

And  wha  has  kill'd  the  master  kid 
That  ran  beneath  that  ladye's  bed? 
And  wha  has  loosed  her  left  foot  shee. 
And  let  that  ladye  lighter  be  ?  " 

19  Syne,  Willie  's  loosed  the  nine  witch-knots 
That  were  amang  that  ladye's  locks ; 
And  Willie  's  ta'en  out  the  kames  of  care 
That  were  into  that  ladye's  hair ; 

And  he  's  ta'en  down  the  bush  of  woodbine, 
Hung  atween  her  bow'r  and  the  witch  carline. 

20  And  he  has  killed  the  master  kid 
That  ran  beneath  that  ladye's  bed ; 
And  he  has  loosed  her  left  foot  shee, 
And  latten  that  ladye  lighter  be ; 
And  now  he  has  gotten  a  bonnie  son. 
And  meikle  grace  be  him  upon. 


KEMP  OWYNE;  or,  KEMPION. 

The  following  ballad  is  collated  from  two  diflferent  versions, 
namely : — 

I.  "  Kempion,"  printed  in  The  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  230.  "Chiefly  from  Mrs.  Brown's  MS.,  with  corrections 
from  a  recited  fragment. " 

II.  "Kemp  Owyne,"  printed  in  Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modern, 
p.  373. 


22  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


In  a  note  to  "Young  Hastings,"  Mr.  Buchan  states  that  it,  and 
the  five  following-named  ballads,  "Reedisdale  and  Wise  William," 
"Billie  Archie,"  "Young  Bearwell,"  "Kemp  Owyne,"  and  "Earl 
Richard,"  were  sent  to  him,  "in  MS.,  by  Mr.  Nicol,  Strichen,  who 
wrote  them  from  memory,  as  he  had  learned  them  in  earlier  years 
from  old  people."  Buchan  sent  these  MSS.  to  Motherwell,  in  whose 
work,  above-named,  they  first  appeared. 

They  were  all  shortly  afterwards  included  in  Buchan's  Ancient 
Ballads  and  Songs,  &c. 

"  The  tale  of  *  Kempion,' "  says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  seems,  from  the 
names  of  the  personages  and  the  nature  of  the  adventure,  to  have 
been  an  old  metrical  romance,  degraded  into  a  ballad  by  the  lapse  of 
time  and  the  corruption  of  reciters. 

"Such  transformations  as  the  song  narrates  are  common  in  the 
annals  of  chivalry.  In  the  25th  and  26th  cantos  of  the  second  book 
of  the  Orlando  Inamorato,  the  paladin,  Brandimarte,  after  sur- 
mounting many  obstacles,  penetrates  into  the  recesses  of  an  enchanted 
palace.  Here  he  finds  a  fair  damsel  seated  upon  a  tomb,  who 
announces  to  him  that,  in  order  to  achieve  her  deliverance,  he  must 
raise  the  lid  of  the  sepulchre,  and  kiss  whatever  being  should  issue 
forth.  The  knight,  having  pledged  his  faith,  proceeds  to  open  the 
tomb,  out  of  which  a  monstrous  snake  issues  forth  with  a  tremendous 
hiss.  Brandimarte,  with  much  reluctance,  fulfils  the  bizarre  con- 
ditions of  the  adventure,  and  the  monster  is  instantly  changed  into 
a  beautiful  fairy,  who  loads  her  deliverer  with  benefits. 

"There  is  a  ballad  somewhat  resembling  'Kempion,'  called  'The 
Laidley  Worm  of  Spindleston-heugh,'  which  is  very  popular  upon  the 
Borders.  The  most  common  version  was  either  entirely  composed, 
or  re-written,  by  the  Keverend  Mr.  Lamb  of  Norham." — Minstrelsy, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  230. 

Mr.  Motherwell  considers  that  the  copy  given  by  him  ' '  preserves 
in  greater  purity  the  name  of  the  hero  than  any  other  yet  published ;" 
and  adds,  "He  was,  no  doubt,  the  same  Ewein,  or  Owain,  ap  Urien, 
the  king  of  Eeged,  who  is  celebrated  by  the  bards  Taliessin  and 
Llywarch-Hen,  as  well  as  in  the  Welch  Historical  Triades." — 
Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixxxiii.,  note  92. 

Sir  Ewein  was  nephew  to  King  Arthur,  and  cousin  of  Sir  Gawein, 
who  "loved"  him  "  beste  of  alle  other."*  Segramour  is  styled 
"nevew  to  the  Emperour  of  Constantynnoble  ;"t  and  both  are  cele- 
brated among  the  knights  of  King  Arthur. 

1     Her  mother  died  when  she  was  young, 

Which  gave  her  cause  to  make  great  moan ; 
Her  father  married  the  warst  w^oman 
That  ever  lived  in  Christendom. 

*  Merlin;  or,  The  Early  Histm-y  of  King  Arthur,  p.  455.  Published  by  Early 
English  Text  Society. 

t  Same  worlt,  p.  373. 


KEMP   OWVXE. 


2  Dove  Isabel,  with  foot  and  hand, 

In  every  thing  that  she  could  do, 
Did  serve  her  wicked  stepmother 
With  servitude  baith  leal  and  true  ; 

3  Till  ance  in  an  unlucky  time, 

When  nane  were  near  to  hear  nor  see, 
This  wicked  witch  to  her  did  call, 
"Come  here,  dove  Isabel,  to  me. 

4  "  Come  here,  come  here,  ye  freely  feed,* 

And  lay  your  head  low  on  my  knee ; 
The  heaviest  weird  I  will  you  read 
That  ever  was  read  to  gay  ladye. 

5  "  Oh,  meikle  dolour  shall  ye  dree, 

And  aye  the  salt  seas  shall  ye  swim; 
And  far  mair  dolour  shall  ye  dree, 

On  Estmere  crags,  when  ye  them  climb. 

6  "I  weird  ye  to  a  fiery  beast, 

And  borrow'd  shall  ye  never  be. 
Till  Kemp  Owyne,  the  king's  own  son, 
Come  to  the  crag,  and  thrice  kiss  thee." 

7  The  wicked  witch,  her  stepmother. 

Then  threw  her  in  the  craigy  sea. 
Saying — "  Lye  you  there,  dove  Isabel, 

And  all  my  sorrows  lye  with  thee.  ^ 

8  "  Let  all  the  world  do  what  they  will, 

Else  borrow'd  shall  you  never  be. 
Till  Kemp  Owyne  come  o'er  the  sea, 
And  borrow  you  with  kisses  three." 

9  Her  breath  grew  Strang,  her  hair  grew  lang. 

And  twisted  thrice  about  the  tree ; 
And  all  the  people  far  and  near 

Thought  that  a  savage  beast  was  she. 

10  Oh,  meikle  dolour  did  she  dree, 

And  aye  the  salt  seas  o'er  she  swam ; 
And  far  mair  dolour  did  she  dree 
On  Estmere  crags,  ere  she  them  clamb. 

11  And  aye  she  cried  for  Kemp  Owyne, 

"  Kemp  Owyne,  come  and  borrow  me  !  " 
Till  word  has  gane  to  Kemp  Owyne, 
Where  he  lived  far  beyond  the  sea. 

♦Sic  Scott's  Minstrels;/;  bnt  should  probably  read  "frely  feyd:"  i.e.,  "irely,"  a 
nuble  or  beautiful  woman;  "feyd,"  or  doomed  to  destruction. 


24  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


12  "  Now,  by  my  sooth,"  said  Kemp  Owyne, 

"  This  fiery  beast  I'll  gang  and  see." 
"  And,  by  my  sooth,"  said  Segramour, 
"My  ae  brother,  I'll  gang  with  thee." 

13  Then  bigged  ha'e  they  a  bonnie  boat, 

And  they  ha'e  set  her  to  the  sea ; 
But  a  mile  before  they  reach'd  the  shore, 
Eound  them  she  gart  the  red  fire  flee. 

14  "  Oh,  Segramour,  ply  weel  your  oar, 

And  mind  ye  weel  how  ye  do  steer ; 
For  this  wicked  beast  will  fire  the  boat, 
If  we  to  it  do  come  ower  near." 

15  Syne  he  has  bent  an  arblast  bow, 

And  aim'd  an  arrow  at  her  head  ; 
And  swore,  if  she  did  not  hold  back, 
With  that  same  shaft  to  shoot  her  dciid. 

16  "  Oh,  out  of  my  stythe  I  ■vyinna  rise 

(And  it  is  not  for  the  awp  of  thee), 
Till  Kemp  Owyne,  the  king's  own  son, 
Come  to  the  crag,  and  thrice  kiss  me." 

17  Her  breath  was  Strang,  her  hair  was  lang, 

And  twisted  thrice  about  the  tree  ; 
And  with  a  swing  she  came  about, — 
"  Kemp  Owyne,  come  and  kiss  with  me. 

18  "  Here  is  a  royal  belt,"  she  cried, 

"  That  I  have  found  in  the  green  sea ; 
And  while  your  body  it  is  on, 

Drawn  shall  your  blood  never  be  ; 
But  if  you  touch  me  tail  or  fin, 

I  vow  my  belt  your  death  shall  be." 

19  He  louted  o'er,  gave  her  a  kiss. 

The  royal  belt  he  brought  him  wi' ; 
Her  breath  was  Strang,  her  hair  was  lang. 

And  twisted  twice  about  the  tree ; 
And  with  a  swing  she  came  about, — 

"  Kemp  Owyne,  come  and  kiss  with  me. 

20  "  Here  is  a  royal  ring,"  she  said, 

"That  I  have  found  in  the  green  seaj 
And  while  your  finger  it  is  on. 

Drawn  shall  your  blood  never  be ; 
But  if  you  touch  me  tail  or  fin, 

I  swear  my  ring  your  death  shall  be." 


KEMP  OWYNE.  25 


21  He  louted  o'er,  gave  her  a  kiss, 

The  royal  ring  he  brought  him  wi' ; 
Her  breath  was  Strang,  her  hair  was  lang, 

And  twisted  ance  around  the  tree ; 
And  with  a  swing  she  came  about, — 

"  Kemp  Owyne,  come  and  kiss  with  me. 

22  "  Here  is  a  royal  brand,"  she  said, 

"That  I  have  found  in  the  green  sea; 
And  while  your  body  it  is  on. 

Drawn  shall  your  blood  never  be ; 
But  if  you  touch  me  tail  or  fin, 

I  swear  my  brand  your  death  shall  be." 

23  He  louted  o'er,  gave  her  a  kiss. 

The  royal  brand  he  brought  him  wi' ; 
Her  breath  was  sweet,  her  hair  grew  short, 

And  twisted  nane  about  the  tree ; 
And  smilingly  she  came  about. 

As  fair  a  woman  as  fair  could  be. 

2-1     "And  by  my  sooth,"  says  Kemp  Owyne, 
"  My  ain  true  love  (for  this  is  she). 
They  surely  had  a  heart  of  stane 
Could  put  thee  to  such  miserie. 

25  "  Oh,  was  it  warwolf  in  the  wood, 

Or  was  it  mermaid  in  the  sea  ? 
Or  was  it  man,  or  vile  woman. 

My  ain  true  love,  that  misshaped  thee  ?  " 

26  "  It  was  na  warvyolf  in  the  wood. 

Nor  was  it  mermaid  in  the  sea ; 
But  it  was  my  wicked  stepmother, 
And  wae  and  weary  may  she  be ! " 

27  "  Oh,  a  heavier  weird  shall  light  her  on 

Than  ever  she  made  light  on  thee ; 
Her  hair  shall  grow  rough,  and  her  teeth  grow  lang, 
And  on  her  four  feet  gang  shall  she. 

28  "  Nane  shall  take  pity  her  upon, 
And  borrow'd  shall  she  never  be ; 

But  in  Wormeswood  she  aye  shall  won. 
Till  St.  Mungo  *  come  o'er  the  sea."     • 
And,  sighing,  said  that  weary  wight — 
"  I  doubt  that  day  I'll  never  see ! " 

•  Or  St  Kentigem;  the  patron  saint  of  Glasgow. 


26  BALI>AD   MINSTRELSr   OF   SCOTLAND. 


ERLINTON. 

"This  ballad  is  published  from  the  collation  of  two  copies, 
obtained  from  recitation.  It  seems  to  be  the  rude  original,  or  perhaps 
a  corrupted  and  imperfect  copy,  of  '  The  Child  of  Elle,'  a  beautiful 
legendary  tale,  published  in  Percy's  Reliques  of  Ancient  Poetry.  It 
is  singular  that  this  charming  ballad  should  have  been  translated  or 
imitated  by  the  celebrated  Burger,  without  acknowledgment  of  the 
English  original.  As  'The  Child  of  Elle'  avowedly  received  correc- 
tions, we  may  ascribe  its  greatest  beauties  to  the  poetical  taste  of  the 
ingenious  editor." — Sir  Walter  Scott,  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  p.  351. 

It  is  now  quite  certain  that  the  Percy  folio  MS.  **  merely  suggested 
the  poem  which  the  editor  of  the  Reliques  wrote  and  printed." 
The  fragment,  as  it  appears  in  the  MS.  (p.  57),  and  in  the  genuine 
text,  as  printed  by  the  Early  English  Text  Society  (vol.  i.,  p.  132), 
extends  to  only  39  lines,  but  in  the  Reliques  it  is  "puffed  out"  to 
200.  "Erlington,"  "The  Child  of  Elle,"  "The  Douglas  Tragedy," 
"The  Brave  Earl  Brand,"  "  Eobin  Hood  and  the  Tanner's  Daughter," 
&c.,  are  Scotish  and  English  ballad  versions,  corresponding  to 
"Eibolt  og  Guldborg,"  or  the  kindred  ballad,  "  Hildebrand  og 
Hilde,"  of  both  which  numerous  versions  exist  in  Danish  and  Swedish ; 
while  of  the  former  there  are  also  three  in  Icelandic,  and  two  in 
Norse.  An  inferior  copy  of  "Riboltog  Guldborg,"  translated  into 
Scotish  verse  by  Jamieson,  was  printed  in  Illustrations  of  N'orthern 
Antiquities,-^.  317;  and  "Hildebrand  og  Hilde  "  has  recently  been 
admirably  rendered  in  English  verse  by  Mr.  Robert  Buchanan,  in 
Ballad  Stories  of  the  Affections,  p.  15. 

In  the  Introduction  to  his  translation  of  "Pubolt  and  Guldborg," 
Mr.  Jamieson  remarks,  that  "those  who  wish  to  see  from  what  kind  of 
materials  these  tales  [it,  '  Erlinton,'  &c.]  have  been  fabricated,  may 
compare  this  piece  with  the  romantic  story  of  Sir  Sampson  and 
Hildesvida,  the  daughter  of  Jarl  Rudgeir,  with  which  the  'Wilkina 
Saga '  commences." 

"  'Erlington  '  is  much  mutilated,  and  has  a  perverted  conclusion, 
but  retains,"  in  lines  59  and  60,  "  a  faint  trace  of  one  charac- 
teristic, and  even  fundamental  trait  of  the  older  forms  of  the  story, 
which  is  not  found  in  any  of  the  other  [Scotish  or]  English  versions." 

It  is  founded  on  "  a  northern  superstition,  that  to  call  a  man  by 
name  while  he  was  engaged  in  fight  was  a  fatal  omen  ;  and  hence  a 
phrase,  '  to  name-to-death.'  To  avert  this  danger,  Ribolt,  in  nearly 
all  the  Scandinavian  ballads,  entreats  Guldborg  not  to  pronounce  Ids 
name,  even  if  she  sees  him  bleeding  or  struck  down.  In  her  agony 
at  seeing  the  last  of  her  brothers  about  to  be  slain,  Guldborg  forgets 
her  lover's  injunction,  calls  on  him  by  name  to  stop,  and  thus  brings 
about  the  catastrophe.  Ignorant  reciters  have  either  dropped  the 
corresponding  passage  in  the  English  ballad,  or  (as  in  this  case)  have 
so  corrupted  it,  that  its  significance  is  only  to  be  made  out  by  com- 
parison with  the  ancient  copies." — Prof.  Child,  English  and  Scottish 
Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  114,  and  vol.  iii.,  p.  223. 

The  explanatory  foot-notes  [marked  S.]  are  from  the  pen  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott. 


EELINTON.  27 


1  Erlinton  had  a  fair  daughter, 

I  wot  he  weired  her  in  a  great  sin  ;  * 
For  he  has  built  a  bigly  bower, 
And  all  to  put  that  lady  in. 

2  And  he  has  warn'd  her  sisters  six, 

And  sae  has  he  her  brethren  seven. 
Either  to  watch  her  all  the  night, 
Or  else  to  seek  her  morn  and  even. 

3  She  hadna  been  in  that  bigly  bower 

Not  a  night,  but  barely  ane. 
Till  there  was  Willie,  her  ain  true  love, 

Chapp'd  at  the  door,  crying — "  Peace  within ! " 

4  "Oh,  whae  is  this  at  my  bower  door, 

That  chaps  sae  late,  or  kens  the  gin  ?  "  f 
"Oh,  it  is  Willie,  your  ain  true  love; 
I  pray  you  rise  and  let  me  in ! " 

5  "  Within  my  bower  there  is  a  waik. 

And  of  the  waik  there  is  nae  wane  ;  J 
But  I'll  come  to  the  green-wood  the  morn, 
Where  blooms  the  brier,  by  momin'  dawn." 

6  Then  she  has  gane  to  her  bed  again. 

Where  she  has  layen  till  the  cock  crew  thrice ; 
And  then  she  said  to  her  sisters  all — 
"  Maidens,  'tis  time  for  us  to  rise." 

7  She  put  on  her  back  a  silken  gown, 

And  on  her  breast  a  siller  pin. 
And  she 's  ta'en  a  sister  in  ilka  hand. 
And  to  the  green-wood  she  is  gane. 

8  She  hadna  walk'd  in  the  gude  green-wood, 

Na,  not  a  mile  but  barely  ane, 
Till  there  was  Willie,  her  ain  true  love, 
Whae  frae  her  sisters  has  her  ta'en. 

•  "  Weired  her  in  a  great  sin:  "  placed  her  in  danger  of  c6mniitting  a  great  sin.  [S.1 
Bead  "weised,"  from  "weise,"  to  incline,  to  induce.  Gcerman,  "weisen,"  to  lead 
into.  Or  "weired"  may  be  derived  from  "  weire, "  to  guard;  and  this  from  "weir," 
doubt,  or  fear:  "belgic  vaer,"  fear — Anglo-Saxon,  "  waere,"  caution.  See  Jamieson's 
Scottish  IHctionary.  I.  e.,  her  father  "feared,"  and  "guarded  "  against  what  he  appi"e- 
hended. 

t  "Gin : "  the  slight  or  trick  necessary  to  open  the  door.  [S.] 

t  "Wane: "  a  number  of  people.  [S.]  Scott's  teit  of  the  first  two  hnes  of  stanza  5 
reads — 

"But  in  my  bower  there  is  a  wake. 
And  at  the  wake  there  is  a  wane; " 
regarding  which,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  the  spelling  and  note  on  "  wane  "  make 
sheer  nonsense  of  the  verse.     "Waik"  means  watch;  and  "wane,"'  want,  defect, 
carelessness.    See  Jamieson's  Scottish  Dictionary. 


28  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     He  took  her  sisters  by  the  band, 

He  kiss'd  them  baith,  and  sent  them  hame ; 
And  he 's  ta'en  his  true  love  him  behind, 
And  through  the  green-wood  they  are  gane. 

10  They  hadna  ridden  in  the  bonnie  green-wood, 

Na,  not  a  mile  but  barely  ane, 
When  there  came  fifteen  of  the  boldest  knights 
That  ever  bare  flesh,  blood,  or  bane. 

11  The  foremost  was  an  aged  knight, 

He  wore  the  gray  hair  on  his  chin ; 
Says — "  Yield  to  me  thy  lady  bright, 
And  thou  shalt  walk  the  woods  within." 

12  "  For  me  to  yield  my  lady  bright, 

To  such  an  aged  knight  as  thee. 
People  wou'd  think  I  were  gane  mad, 
Or  all  the  courage  flown  frae  me." 

13  But  up  then  spake  the  second  knight, — 

I  wot  he  spake  right  boustouslie, — 

"  Yield  me  thy  life,  or  thy  lady  bright, 

Or  here  the  tane  *  of  us  shall  die." 

14  "  My  lady  is  my  world's  meed, 

My  life  I  winna  yield  to  nane; 
But  if  ye  be  men  of  true  manhood, 
Ye'll  only  fight  me  ane  by  ane." 

15  He  lighted  off  his  milk-white  horse, 

And  gae  'm  his  lady  by  the  head, 
Saying — "  See  you  dinna  change  your  cheer, 
Until  you  see  my  body  bleed." 

16  He  set  his  back  into  an  aik, 

He  set  his  feet  against  a  stane ; 
And  he  has  fought  these  fifteen  men, 

And  kill'd  them  all  but  barely  ane; 
But  he  has  left  the  aged  knight, 

For  to  carry  the  tidings  hame. 

17  When  he  gaed  to  his  lady  fair, 

I  wot  he  kiss'd  her  tenderlie : 
"  Thou'rt  mine  ain  love,  I  have  thee  bought; 
And  we  shall  walk  the  green-wood  free." 

•  "Tane:  "  one  or  other. 


THE  DOUGLAS  TRAGEDY.  29 


THE   DOUGLAS   TRAGEDY, 

"The  ballad  of  'The  Douglas  Tragedy'  is  one  of  the  few  to 
which  popular  tradition  has  ascribed  complete  locaUty.  The  farm 
of  Blackhouse,  in  Selkirkshire,  is  said  to  have  been  the  scene  of  this 
melancholy  event.  There  are  the  remains  of  a  very  ancient  tower, 
adjacent  to  the  farm-house,  in  a  wild  solitary  glen,  upon  a  torrent 
named  Douglas  Bum,  which  joins  the  Yarrow  after  passing  a  craggy 
rock  called  the  Douglas  Craig.  From  this  ancient  tower,  Lady 
Margaret  is  said  to  have  been  carried  by  her  lover.  Seven  large 
stones,  erected  upon  the  neighbouring  heights  of  Blackhouse,  are 
shown  as  marking  the  spot  where  the  seven  brothers  were  slain  ;  and 
the  Douglas  Burn  is  averred  to  have  been  the  stream  at  which  the 
lovers  stopped  to  drink.  So  minute  is  tradition  in  ascertaining  the 
scene  of  a  tragical  tale,  which,  considering  the  rude  state  of  former 
times,  had  probably  foundation  in  some  real  event. 

"Many  copies  of  this  ballad  are  current  among  the  vulgar,  but 
chiefly  in  a  state  of  great  corruption,  especially  such  as  have  been 
committed  to  the  press  in  the  shape  of  penny  pamphlets.  One  of 
these  is  now  before  me,  which,  among  many  others,  has  the  ridiculous 
error  of  ^blue  gilded  horn,'  for  ^bugelet  horn.'  The  copy  principally 
used  in  this  [Scott's]  edition  of  the  ballad  was  supplied  by  Mr. 
Charles  K.  Sharpe.  The  three  last  verses  are  given  from  the  printed 
copy,  and  from  tradition.  The  hackneyed  verse,  of  the  rose  and  the 
brier  springing  from  the  grave  of  the  lovers,  is  common  to  most 
tragic  ballads ;  but  it  is  introduced  into  this  with  singular  propriety, 
as  the  chapel  of  St.  Mary,  whose  vestiges  may  be  still  traced  upon 
the  lake  to  which  it  has  given  name,  is  said  to  have  been  the  burial- 
place  of  Lord  William  and  fair  Margaret.  The  wrath  of  the  Black 
Douglas,  which  vented  itself  upon  the  brier,  far  surpasses  the  usual 
stanza : — 

'  At  length  came  the  clerk  of  the  parish, 
As  you  the  truth  shall  hear. 
And  by  mischance  he  cut  them  down, 
Or  else  they  had  still  been  there.'  " 

— Sir  W.  Scott,  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  3. 

^  Motherwell  adopted  "  the  copy  given  in  the  work  from  which  the 
above  extract  has  been  taken;"  and  says,  "  any  recited  copy  that 
we  have  heard  has  been  incomplete,  wanting  not  only  the  circum- 
stance of  the  lovers  halting  at  the  stream,  but  likewise  that  of  their 
death  and  burial." 

The  latter  editor  appended  to  his  prefatory  note,  above  quoted, 
five  verses  of  an  incomplete  ' '  recited  copy, "  such  as  he  refers  to.  This 
fragment  "supplies  variations,"  some  of  which  are  here  adopted  in 
verses  4,  G,  and  8.  Other  slight  alterations  have  been  made  on  the 
verses  named,  and  also  on  most  of  the  subsequent  verses — generally  by 
repetition  of  one  or  two  words  from  preceding  lines — so  as  to  restore 
the  uniform  harmony  of  the  metre  ;  but  in  no  case  has  the  sense,  or 
ordinary  phraseology  of  the  ballad,  been  tampered  with. 

With  reference  to  Sir  Walter  Scott's  remarks  on  the  localities  of 
this  ballad,  as  above  quoted,  and  a  similar  identification  as  to  place 


30  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


of  some  of  the  incidents  in  "Kibolt  and  Giddborg,"  by  Grundtvig 
(pp.  342-3),  the  following  observation  of  Jamieson,  relative  to  the 
transposition  of  person,  and  of  the  unities  of  time  and  place,  to  widely 
different  scenes  and  periods  of  action,  is  peculiarly  applicable: — 

' '  Popular  tales  and  anecdotes  of  every  kind  soon  obtain  locality 
wherever  they  are  told  j  and  the  intelligent  and  attentive  traveller 
will  not  be  surprised  to  find  the  same  story  which  he  had  learned 
when  a  child,  with  every  appropriate  circumstance  of  names,  time, 
and  place,  in  a  glen  of  Morven,  Lochaber,  or  Rannoch,  equally 
domesticated  among  the  mountains  of  Norw^ay,  Caucasus,  or  Thibet." 
— Illti8trations  qf  Northern  Antiquities,  p.  317. 

1  "  Rise  up,  rise  up,  now,  Lord  Douglas,"  she  says, 

"And  put  on  your  armour  so  bright ; 
Let  it  never  be  said  that  a  daughter  of  thine 
Was  married  to  a  lord  under  night, 

2  "  Rise  up,  rise  up,  my  seven  bold  sons, 

And  put  on  your  armour  so  bright ; 
And  take  better  care  of  your  youngest  sister, 
For  your  eldest 's  away  the  last  night." 

3  He 's  mounted  her  on  a  milk-white  steed. 

And  himself  on  a  dapple  gray. 
With  a  bugelet  horn  hung  down  by  his  side, 
And  liglitly  they  baith  rade  away. 

4  Lord  William  look'd  over  his  left  shoulder — 

He  look'd  to  see  what  he  could  see — 
And  he  spy'd  her  fc^her  and  brethren  bold, 
Come  riding  hastily  over  the  lea. 

6     "  Light  down,  light  down,  Lady  Marg'ret,"  he  said, 
"And  hold  my  steed  in  your  hand. 
Until  that  against  your  seven  brethren  bold, 
And  your  father  I  make  a  stand." 

6  She  held  his  steed  in  her  milk-white  hand. 

But  spake  not,  nor  shed  not  a  tear. 
Until  that  she  saw  her  seven  brethren  fall, 
And  the  blood  of  her  father  so  dear. 

7  "  Oh,  hold  your  hand,  Lord  William  ! "  she  said, 

"  For  your  strokes  they  are  wondrous  sair ; 
True  lovers  I  can  get  many  a  ane. 
But  a  father  I  can  never  get  mair." 

8  Oh,  she 's  ta'en  her  kerchief  from  off  her  neck — 

It  was  of  the  holland  sae  fine — 
And  aye  she  wiped  her  father's  bloody  wounds, 
That  were  redder  than  the  wine. 


THE  DOUGLAS  TRAGEDY.  31 


9     "  Oh  chuse,  oh  chnse,  Lady  Marg'ret,"  he  said, 
"  Oh,  whether  will  ye  gang  or  bide  ?  " 
"  I'll  gang,  I'll  gang.  Lord  William,"  she  said, 
"Ye  have  left  me  no  other  guide." 

10  He 's  lifted  her  on  a  milk-white  steed, 

And  himself  on  a  dapple  gray, 
With  a  bugelet  hom  hung  down  by  his  side. 
And  slowly  they  baith  rade  away. 

11  Oh,  they  rade  slowly  and  sadly  on. 

And  all  by  the  light  of. the  moon ; 
They  rade  till  they  came  to  yon  wan  water, 
And  there  they  alighted  them  down. 

12  They  alighted  them  down  to  take  a  drink 

Of  the  water  that  ran  so  clear; 
And  down  the  stream  ran  his  gude  heart's  blood, 
And  sair  Lady  Marg'ret  did  fear. 

13  "  Hold  up,  hold  up.  Lord  William,"  she  says, 

"  For  1  fear  me  that  you  are  slain!" 

"  'Tis  but  the  shadow  of  my  scarlet  cloak 

That  shines  in  the  water  sae  plain." 

14  Oh,  they  rade  slowly  and  sadly  on, 

And  all  by  the  light  of  the  moon. 
Until  they  came  to  his  mother's  hall  door. 
And  there  they  alighted  them  down. 

15  "  Get  up,  get  up,  lady  mother,"  he  says, 

'*  Get  up,  get  up  and  let  me  in  ! — 
Get  up,  get  up,  lady  mother,"  he  says, 
"For  this  night  my  fair  lady  I've  win. 

16  "  Oh,  make  my  bed,  lady  mother,"  he  says, 

"  Oh,  make  my  bed  baith  braid  and  deep! 
And  lay  Lady  Marg'ret  close  at  my  back, 
And  the  sounder  we  baith  will  sleep." 

17  Lord  William  was  dead  lang  ere  midnight. 

Lady  Marg'ret  was  dead  lang  ere  day ; 
And  all  true  lovers  that  go  thegither. 
May  they  have  better  luck  than  they ! 

18  Lord  William  was  buried  in  St.  Marie's  kirk, 

Lady  Marg'ret  in  St,  IMarie's  quire ; 
Out  of  the  lady's  grave  grew  a  red  rose, 
And  out  of  the  knight's  grew  a  brier. 


32  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


19  And  they  twa  they  met,  and  they  twa  they  plat, 

As  if  full  fain  they  wou'd  be  near  ; 
Sae  that  all  the  world  might  ken  right  weel 
That  they  grew  frae  twa  lovers  dear.* 

20  But  by  chance  that  way  the  Black  Douglas  rade, 

And  wow  but  he  was  rude  and  rough ! 
For  he  pull'd  up  the  bonnie,  bonnie  brier, 
And  fiang  it  in  St.  Marie's  Loch. 


THE  BRAVE  EARL  BRAND  AND  THE  KING  OF 
ENGLAND'S  DAUGHTER. 

"Taken  down  from  the  recitation  of  an  old  fiddler  in  Northum- 
berland. The  refrain  should  be  repeated  in  every  verse." — Bell's 
Ancient  Poems,  Ballads,  and  Songs,  &c.,  p.  122. 

Verse  2  has  been  slightly  altered  in  the  interest  of  delicacy  and 
perspicuity. 

Verses  5  and  6  are  here  inserted  in  place  of  verse  5  of  the  original, 
which  reads, — 

"  Oh,  Earl  Brand,  but  my  father  has  two, 
And  thou  shall  have  the  best  of  tho"." 

An  hiatus,  in  verse  11,  has  been  filled  by  the  addition  of  the  four 
last  words,  while  the  last  word,  of  the  first  line  of  the  same  verse, 
has  been  changed  for  the  sake  of  the  rhyme.  Three  words  have  also 
been  added  to  verse  26. 

The  alterations  and  additions  referred  to  are  sanctioned  by,  and 
mostly  derived  from,  a  similar  ballad,  named  "  Leesome  Brand," 
which  appears  in  a  subsequent  portion  of  this  work. 

1  Oh,  did  you  ever  hear  of  the  brave  Earl  Brand, 

Hey  lillie,  ho  lillie  lallie; 
He  courted  the  king's  daughter  of  fair  England, 
In  the  brave  nights  so  early. 

2  She  was  scarcelj'  fifteen  years  old, 
When  to  Earl  Brand  she  came  right  bold. 

*  If  the  testimony  of  numerous  minstrels  in  different  lands  and  ages  may  be 
credited,  the  miracle  here  narrated  in  stanzas  18  and  19  was  "  frequently  witnessed 
over  the  graves  of  faithful  lovers.  King  Mark,  according  to  the  German  romance, 
planted  a  rose  on  Tristan's  grave,  and  a  vine  on  that  of  Isold.  The  roots  struck 
down  into  the  very  hearts  of  the  dead  lovers,  and  the  stems  twined  lovingly 
together.  The  French  account  is  somewhat  different.  An  eglantine  sprung  from 
the  tomb  of  Tristan,  and  twisted  itself  round  the  monument  of  Isold.  It  was  cut 
down  three  times,  but  grew  up  every  morning  fresher  tlian  before;  so  that  it  was 
allowed  to  stand.'"  Several  other  instances  of  this  miraculous  phenomenon  occur 
in  this  volume;  in  Swedish,  Danish,  and  Breton  ballad  lore;  '•  in  a  Servian  tale, 
cited  by  Salvi  (Vertuch,  &c.,  p.  139);  and  in  an  Afghan  poem,  described  by  Elphin- 
stone  "  (Account  of  the  Kingd'^m  qf  Cabul,  vol.  i.,  p.  295). — Prof.  Child's  Snglufi  and 
Scottish  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  li9. 


THE  BRAVE  EARL  BRAND.  33 


3  "  Oh,  Earl  Brand,  how  fain  would  I  see 
A  pack  of  hounds  let  loose  on  the  lea." 

4  "  Oh,  lady  fair,  I  have  no  steed  but  one; 
But  thou  shalt  ride,  and  I  will  run." 

5  "  Go,  Earl  Brand,  to  my  father's  stable, 
And  bring  me  a  palfrey  wight  and  able." 

6  Earl  Brand  he  did  as  the  lady  bade, 

And  when  they  were  mounted,  away  they  rade. 

7  Now  they  have  ridden  o'er  moss  and  moor, 
And  they  have  met  neither  rich  nor  poor  j 

8  Till  at  last  they  met  with  old  Carl  Hood, — 
He  's  aye  for  ill,  and  never  for  good. 

9  "  Now,  Earl  Brand,  an'  ye  love  me, 
Slay  this  old  carl,  and  gar  him  dee." 

10  "  Oh,  lady  fair,  but  that  would  be  sair, 
To  slay  an  old  carl  that  wears  gray  hair ; 

11  "  My  own  lady  fair,  I'll  not  do  so  ; 
I'll  pay  bim  his  fee,  a.nd  let  him  go." 

12  "  Oh,  where  have  ye  ridden  this  lee-lang  daj^, 
Atid  where  have  ye  stown  this  faii:^  lady  away?" 

13  "  I  have  not  ridden  this  lee-lang  day, 
Nor  yet  have  I  stown  this  lady  away ; 

14  "  For  she  is,  I  trow,  my  sick  sister, 

Whom  I  have  been  bringing  frae  Winchester," 

15  "  If  she 's  been  sick,  and  like  to  die. 
What  makes  her  wear  the  gold  so  high  ?  " 

16  When  came  the  carl  to  her  father's  j'ett. 
He  loudly  and  rudely  rapp'd  thereat. 

17  "  Now,  where  is  the  lady  of  this  hall  ?  " 

"  She  's  out  with  her  maids  a-playing  at  the  ball." 

18  "  Ha,  ha,  ha !  ye  are  all  mista'en. 

Ye  may  count  your  maidens  o'er  again. 

19  "  I  met  her  far  beyond  the  lea. 

With  the  young  Earl  Brand,  his  leman  to  be." 
D 


34  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 

20  Her  father  of  his  best  men  armed  fifteen, 
'    And  they're  ridden  after  them  bidene. 

21  The  lady  look'd  o'er  her  left  shoulder  then, 
And  saw  her  father  and  hig  fifteen  men ; 

22  Says — "  Oh,  Earl  Brand,  we  are  both  of  us  ta'en, 
And  it  fears  me  much  that  you  will  be  slain." 

23  "  Oh,  if  they  come  on  me  one  by  one, 
You  may  stand  by  till  the  tights  be  done ; 

24  "  But  if  they  come  on  me  one  and  all, 
Then  you  may  stand  by  and  see  me  fall," 

25  They  came  upon  him  one  by  one, 
Till  fourteen  battles  he  has  won; 

26  And  fourteen  [brave]  men  he  has  them  slain, 
Eacli  after  each  [they  fell]  on  the  plain. 

27  But  the  fifteenth  man  behind  him  stole  round. 
And  dealt  him  a  deep  and  a  deadly  wound; 

28  But  though  he  was  wounded  to  the  deid. 
He  set  his  fair  lady  again  on  her  steed. 

29  They  rode  till  they  came  to  the  river  Doune, 
And  there  they  alighted  to  wash  his  wound. 

30  "  Oh,  Earl  Brand,  I  see  your  heart's  blood  ! " 

"  It's  nothing  but  the  glent  and  my  scarlet  hood." 

31  They  rode  till  they  came  to  his  mother's  yett ; 
So  faintly  and  feebly  he  rapp'd  thereat. 

32  "  Oh,  my  son  's  slain,  he  is  falling  to  swoon, 
And  it 's  all  for  the  sake  of  an  English  loon." 

33  "  Oh,  say  not  so,  my  dearest  mother, 
But  marry  her  to  my  youngest  brother." 

34  To  a  maiden  true  he  will  give  his  hand, 

Hey  lillic,  ho  lillie  lallie; 
To  the  king's  daughter  of  fair  England, 
To  a  prize  won  by  a  slain  brother's  brand, 

In  the  brave  nights  so  early. 


THE   BENT  SAE   BROWN. 


THE  BENT  SAE  BROWN. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  30. 

In  some  portions  of  the  story  this  ballad  resembles  ' '  The  Douglas 
Tragedy,"  and  other  kindred  ballads,  which  immediately  precede 
this;  and  also  "Lady  Elspat,"  "Sweet  Willie  and  Lady  Margerie," 
and  "Clerk  Saunders,"  which  immediately  follow  this,  in  the  order 
named. 

1  "  There  are  sixteen  lang  miles,  I'm  sure, 

Between  my  love  and  me ; 
There  are  eight  of  them  on  gude  dry  land, 
And  other  eight  by  sea. 

2  "  Betide  me  life,  betide  me  death, 

My  love  I'll  gang  and  see; 
Altho'  her  friends  they  do  me  hate, 
Her  love  is  great  for  me. 

3  "  Of  my  coat  I'll  make  a  boat, 

And  of  my  sark  a  sail ; 
And  of  my  cane  a  gude  topmast, 
Dry  land  till  I  come  till." 

i     Then  of  his  coat  he  made  a  boat, 
And  of  his  sark  a  sail; 
And  of  his  cane  a  gude  topmast, 
Dry  land  till  he  come  till. 

6     Then  he  is  on  to  Annie's  bow'r, 
And  tirl'd  at  the  pin  ; 
"  Oh,  sleep  ye,  wake  ye,  love  Annie? 
Rise  up,  and  let  me  in." 

6  "  Oh,  who  is  this  at  my  bow'r  door, 

Sae  well  that  kens  my  name  ?  " 

"  It  is  your  true  love,  sweet  Willie  ; 

For  you  I've  cross'd  the  faem." 

7  "I  am  deeply  sworn,  Willie, 

By  father  and  by  mother, 
At  kirk  or  market  where  v/e  meet. 
We  darena  own  each  other. 


"  And  I  am  deeply  sworn,  Willie, 
By  my  bauld  brothers  three, 

At  kirk  or  market  where  we  meet, 
I  dareua  speak  to  thee. 


36  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     '*  Ye  take  your  red  fan  in  your  hand, 
Your  white  fan  o'er  your  een, 
And  ye  may  swear,  and  save  your  oath, 
You  saw  na  me  come  in." 

10  She 's  ta'en  her  red  fan  in  her  hand, 

The  white  fan  o'er  her  een  ; 
It  was  to  swear  and  save  her  oath, 
She  saw  na  him  come  in. 

11  They  hadna  kiss'd,  nor  yet  love  clapp'd, 

As  lovers  do  when  they  meet, 
Till  up  it  starts  her  auld  mither 
At  her  bauld  sons'  bed  feet. 

12  "  Win  up,  win  up,  my  three  bauld  sons, 

Win  up,  and  make  ye  boun' ; 
Your  sister's  lover 's  in  her  bow'r, 
As  ye  lye  sleeping  soun'." 

13  Then  up  it  raise  her  three  bauld  sons. 

With  swords  baith  sharp  and  Strang, 
And  they  are  to  their  sister's  bow'r 
As  fast  as  they  could  gang. 

14  When  they  came  to  their  sister's  bow'r, 

They  sought  it  up  and  down ; 
But  there  was  neither  man  nor  boy 
In  her  bow'r  to  be  foun'. 

15  Then  out  it  speaks  the  first  of  them — 

"We'll  gang  and  let  her  be ; 
For  there  is  neither  man  nor  boy 
Intill  her  companie." 

IG     Then  out  it  speaks  the  second  son — 
"  Our  travel's  all  in  vain; 
But  mother  dear,  nor  father  dear, 
Shall  break  our  rest  again." 

17  Then  out  it  speaks  the  third  of  them, 

(An  ill  death  mat  he  die !) — 
"  We'll  lurk  amang  the  bent  sae  brown, 
That  Willie  we  may  see." 

18  He  stood  behind  his  love's  curtains. 

His  goud  rings  show'd  him  light ; 
And  by  this  ye  may  all  weel  guess 
He  was  a  renown'd  knight. 


THE   BENT  SAE  BROWN.  37 


19  He 's  done  him  to  his  love's  stable. 

Took  out  his  berry -brown  steed  ; 
His  love  stood  in  her  bow'r  door, 
Her  heart  was  like  to  bleed. 

20  "  OhjUiourn  ye  for  my  coming,  love? 

Or  for  my  short  staj'ing  ? 
Or  mourn  ye  for  our  safe  sind'ring. 
Case  we  never  meet  again?" 

21  "  I  mourn  nae  for  your  here  coming, — 

To  meet  ye  I  am  fain  ; 
Nor  mourn  I  for  our  safe  sind'ring, — 
I  hope  we'll  meet  again, 

22  "  I  wish  ye  may  won  safe  away, 

And  safely  frae  the  town  ; 
For  ken  ye  not  my  brothers  three 
Are  'mang  the  bent  sae  brown?" 

23  "  If  I  were  on  my  nut-brown  steed, 

And  three  miles  frae  the  town, 
I  wouldna  fear  your  baiild  brothers, 
Amang  the  bent  sae  brown." 

24  He  lean'd  him  o'er  his  saddle  bow, 

And  kiss'd  her  lips  sae  sweet ; 
The  tears  that  fell  between  these  twa. 
They  wet  his  great  steed's  feet. 

25  But  he  wasna  on  his  ni:t-brown  steed. 

Nor  twa  miles  frae  the  town. 
Till  up  it  starts  these  three  fierce  men, 
Amang  the  bent  sae  brown. 

26  Then  up  they  came,  these  three  fierce  men, 

When  one  did  loudly  say, — 
"  Bide  still,  bide  still,  ye  cowardly  youth, 
What  makes  you  haste  away  ? 

27  "  For  I  must  know  before  you  go, 

Tell  me,  and  make  nae  lie; 
If  ye've  been  in  my  sister's  bow'r, 
My  hands  shall  gar  ye  die." 

28  "  Though  I've  been  in  your  sister's  bow'r, 

I  have  nae  fear  of  thee ; 
ril  stand  my  ground,  and  fiercely  fight, 
And  shall  gain  victorie." 


BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTtAXD. 


29  "  Now  I  entreat  you  for  to  stay. 

Unto  us  give  gude  heed; 
If  ye  our  Avords  do  not  obey, 
I'se  gar  your  body  bleed." 

30  "  I  have  nae  armour,"  says  Willie, 

"  Unless  it  be  my  brand ; 
And  that  shall  guard  my  fair  body, 
Till  I  win  frae  your  hand." 

31  Then  twa  of  them  stepp'd  in  behind. 

All  in  a  furious  meed ; 
The  third  of  them  came  him  before. 
And  seiz'd  his  nut-brown  steed. 

32  Oh,  then  he  drew  his  trusty  brand, 

That  hung  down  by  bis  gare ; 
And  he  has  slain  these  three  fierce  men. 
And  left  them  sprawling  there. 

33  Then  word  has  gane  to  their  mother. 

In  bed  where  she  slept  soun', 
That  Willie  had  kill'd  her  three  bauld  sons, 
Amang  the  bent  sae  brown. 

34  Then  she  has  cut  the  locks  that  hung 

Sae  low  down  bj'  her  e'e ; 
Sae  has  she  kiltit  her  green  claithing 
A  little  aboon  her  knee. 

35  And  she  has  on  to  the  king's  court. 

As  fast  as  gang  could  she ; 
When  fair  Annie  got  word  of  that. 
Was  there  as  soon  as  she. 

3G     Her  mother  went  before  the  king, 
Fell  low  down  on  her  knee ; 
"  Win  up,  win  up,  my  dame,"  he  said, 
"  What  is  your  will  with  me  ?  " 

37  "  My  wills  they  are  not  small,  my  liege, 

The  truth  I'll  tell  to  thee : 
There  is  ane  of  your  courtly  knights 
That  last  night  has  robb'd  me." 

38  "And  has  he  broke  your  bigly  bow'rs, 

Or  has  he  stole  your  fee  ? 
There  is  nae  knight  into  my  court 
Last  night  has  been  frae  me ; 


LADY   ELSPAT,  89 


39  "  Unless  'twas  Willie  of  Lauderdale, 

Forbid  that  it  be  he ! " 
"  And  by  my  sooth,"  says  the  auld  woman, 
"  That  very  man  is  he. 

40  "  For  he  has  broke  my  bigly  bow'rs. 

And  be  has  stole  my  fee ; 
And  made  ray  daughter  his  leman, 
And  an  ill  woman  is  she. 

41  "  That  was  not  all  he  did  to  me, 

Ere  he  went  frae  the  town  ; 
My  sons  sae  true  he  fiercely  slew, 
Amang  the  bent  sae  brown." 

42  Tlien  out  it  spake  her  daughter  Ann, — 

She  stood  by  the  king's  knee, — 
"  Ye  lie,  ye  lie,  my  mother  dear, 
Sae  loud 's  I  hear  you  lie. 

43  "  He  has  not  broke  your  bigly  bow'rs. 

Nor  has  he  stole  your  fee ; 
Nor  made  your  daughter  his  leman, — 
A  good  woman  I'll  be. 

44  "  And  he  might  be  forgiven,  though 

Your  three  bauld  sons  he  's  slain  ; 
They  were  well  clad  in  armour  bright. 
My  love  with  brand  alane." 

45  "  Well  spoke,  well  spoke,"  the  king  replied, 

"  This  talking  pleases  me ; 
For  ae  kiss  of  your  lovely  mouth 
I'll  set  your  true  love  free." 

46  She's  ta'en  the  king  in  her  arms  twa, 

And  kiss'd  him  cheek  and  chin ; 
He  then  set  her  behind  her  love, 
And  they  went  singing  hame. 


LADY  ELSPAT. 


From  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  191,  where  it  is  said 
to  be  given  "  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Brown." 

1     "  How  brent 's  your  brow,  my  Lady  Elspat ! 
How  gowden  yellow  is  your  hair! 
Of  all  the  maids  of  fair  Scotland, 
There  's  nane  like  Lady  Elspat  fair." 


40  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


2  "  Perform  your  vows,  sweet  William,"  she  says, 

"  The  vows  which  you  have  made  to  me; 
And  at  the  back  of  my  mither's  castle 
This  night  I'll  surely  meet  with  thee." 

3  But  wae  be  to  her  brother's  page, 

That  heard  the  words  the  twa  did  say; 
He  tauld  them  to  her  lady  mither, 

Wha  wrought  sweet  William  mickle  wae. 

4  For  she  has  ta'en  him,  sweet  William, 

And  she  gar'd  bind  him  with  his  bow  string, 
Till  the  red  bluid  of  his  fair  body 
Frae  ilka  nail  of  his  hand  did  spring. 

5  Oh,  it  fell  ance  upon  a  time. 

That  the  Lord-justice  came  to  town; 
Out  has  she  ta'en  him,  sweet  William, 

Brought  him  before  the  Lord-justice  boun', 

G     "  And  what  is  the  crime  now,  lady,"  he  says. 
"  That  has  by  this  young  man  been  done?" 
"  Oh,  lie  has  broken  my  bonnie  castle, 
That  was  weel  biggit  with  lime  and  stone; 

7  "  And  he  has  broken  my  bonnie  coffer, 

That  was  weel  bandit  with  aiken  band; 
And  he  has  stown  my  rich  jewels. 
My  jewels  costly  rare  and  grand." 

8  Then  out  it  spake  fair  Lady  Elspat, 

As  she  sat  by  Lord-justice  knee; 
"  Now  ye  lia'e  told  your  tale,  mither, 
I  pray,  Lord-justice,  ye'll  now  hear  me. 

9  "  He  hasna  broken  her  bonnie  castle. 

That  was  weel  biggit  with  lime  and  stone; 
Nor  has  he  stown  her  rich  jewels; 
For  I  wot  she  has  them  every  one. 

10  But  though  he  was  my  first  true  love. 

And  though  I  had  sworn  to  be  his  bride, 
Because  he  hasna  a  great  estate, 

She  wou'd  this  day  our  loves  divide." 

11  Syne  out  and  spake  the  Lord-justice — 

I  wot  the  tear  was  in  his  e'e, — 
"  I  see  na  faut  in  this  young  man; 
Sae  loose  his  bands,  and  set  him  free. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND   LADY   JIARGERIE.  41 


12  "  And  take  your  love,  now,  Lady  Elspat, 

And  my  best  blessing  ye  baith  upon; 
For  if  he  be  your  first  true  love, 
He  is  my  eldest  sister's  son. 

13  "  There  stands  a  steed  in  my  stable. 

Cost  me  baith  gold  and  white  money; 
Ye 's  get  as  mickle  of  my  free  land 
As  he'll  ride  about  in  a  summer's  day." 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND  LADY  MAKGERIE. 

"  This  ballad,"  says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "  which  possesses  considerable 
beauty  and  pathos,  is  given  from  the  recitation  of  a  lady  now  far 
advanced  in  years,  with  whose  grandmother  it  was  a  deserved 
favourite.  It  is  now  for  the  first  time  printed." — Miimtrelsy,  Ancient 
and  Modern,  p.  370. 

Biichau  styles  Motherwell's  "an  imperfect  copy,"  and  gives 
another  and  longer  ballad  "on  a  similar  subject,"  under  the  title 
of  "Willie  and  Lady  Maisry." — Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i., 
p.  155. 

The  present  version  is  compiled  from  both.  It  not  only  resembles 
"The  Bent  sae  Brown,"  p.  35,  but  also  "Clerk  Saunders,"  the 
ballad  which  follows  this,  as  well  as  "Johnnie  Scott,"  and  "Lang 
Johnnie  Moir,"  which  subsequently  appear. 

1  Sweet  Willie  was  a  widow's  son, 

And  he  wore  a  milk-white  weed,  0 ; 
And  weel  could  Willie  read  and  write, 
Far  better  ride  on  steed,  0. 

2  Lady  Margerie  was  the  first  ladye 

That  drank  to  him  the  wine,  0 ; 
And  aye  as  the  healths  gaed  round  and  round, 
"  Laddie,  your  love  is  mine,  0." 

3  Lady  Margerie  was  the  first  ladye 

That  drank  to  him  the  beer,  0 ; 
And  aye  as  the  healths  gaed  round  and  round, 
"  Laddie,  ye're  welcome  here,  0. 

4  "  You  must  come  intill  my  bow'r, 

When  the  evening  bells  do  ring,  0; 
And  you  must  come  intill  my  bow'r. 
When  the  evening  mass  doth  sing,  0." 

5  He  's  ta'en  four-and-twenty  braid  arrows, 

And  laced  them  in  a  whang,  0 ; 
And  he  's  awa  to  Lady  Margerie's  bow'r, 
As  fast  as  he  can  gang,  0. 


42  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


G     He  set  his  ae  foot  on  the  wall, 
And  the  other  on  a  stane,  0 ; 
And  he  's  kill'd  all  the  king's  life  guards, 
He  's  kill'd  them  every  man,  0. 

7  Then  he  is  on  to  Margerie's  bow'r, 

And  tirl'd  at  the  pin,  0 ; 
"  Oh,  open,  open.  Lady  Margerie, 
Open  and  let  me  in,  0." 

8  With  her  feet  as  white  as  sleet, 

She  strode  her  bow'r  within,  0; 

And  with  her  fingers  lang  and  small, 

She  'a  looten  sweet  Willie  in,  0. 

9  She 's  looted  down  unto  his  foot, 

To  louze  sweet  Willie's  shoon,  0; 

The  buckles  they  were  stiflF  with  bluid, 

That  on  them  had  drapt  doon,  0. 

10  "  What  frightful  sight  is  this,  my  love, 

Is  this  that  I  do  see,  0  ? 
What  bluid  is  this  j'e're  cloated  with, 
I  pray  you  tell  to  me,  0." 

11  "  As  I  came  thro'  the  woods  this  night, 

A  wolf  maist  worried  me,  0; 
Oh,  shou'd  I  slain  the  wolf,  Margerie? 
Or  shou'd  it  worried  me,  0?  '^ 

12  "  0  Willie,  0  Willie,  I  fear  that  thou 

Hast  bred  me  dule  and  sorrow; 
The  deed  that  thou  hast  done  this  night, 
Will  kythe  upon  the  morrow." 

13  They  had  not  kiss'd,  nor  yet  love  clapp'd, 

As  lovers  when  they  meet,  O; 
Till  up  it  starts  her  auld  father 
Out  of  his  drowsy  sleep,  0. 

14  Then  he  is  on  to  Margerie's  bow'r, 

And  tirl'd  at  the  pin,  0 ; 
Saying — "  Wake  ye,  daughter  Margerie, 
Wake  up,  and  let  me  in,  0." 

15  Between  the  curtains  and  the  wall, 

She  had  her  lover  in,  0; 
Then  hooly  to  the  door  she  went, 
And  let  her  father  in,  0. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND   LADY  MARGEKIE.  43 


16  "  What 's  become  of  your  Maries  all, 

That  nane  your  bow'r  are  in,  0? 
What 's  become  of  your  green  covering, 
That  your  beds  they  are  sae  thin,  0?  " 

17  "  Oh,  Gude  forgi'e  you,  father,"  she  said, 

"  That  you  even  me  to  sin,  0 ; 
That  you  dread  me  for,  and  watch  me  for. 
But  never  find  me  in,  0." 

18  He  turn'd  him  right  and  round  about, 

As  he'd  been  gaun  awa,  0 ; 
But  stealthily  he  slippet  in 
Behind  a  screen  sae  sma',  0. 

19  Sweet  Willie  came  frae  his  retreat. 

And  ere  they  were  aware,  0, 

Her  auld  father  did  give  to  him 

A  deep  wound  and  a  sair,  0. 

20  "  Oh,  Gude  forgi'e  you,  father,"  she  said, 

"  Forgi'e  this  deadly  sin,  0 ; 
That  thus  my  ain  true  love  is  slain 
By  you,  my  bow'r  within,  0  ! " 

21  "  Tliis  night  he  slew  my  gude  bold  watch, 

Thirty  stout  men  and  twa,  0 ; 

And  likewise  slew  your  ae  brother, 

To  me  was  worth  them  a',  0." 

22  "  If  he  has  slain  my  ae  brother. 

The  blame  it  was  his  ain,  0 ; 

For  many  a  day  he  plots  contriv'd 

To  ha'e  sweet  Willie  slain,  0. 

23  "  Tho'  he  has  slain  your  gude  bold  watch, 

He  might  ha'e  been  forgi'en,  0 ; 
For  thoy  came  on  him  in  armour  bright. 
As  alane  he  cross'd  the  green,  0. 

24  ''Oh,  Gude  forgi'e  you,  my  auld  father, 

For  tlie  ill  you've  made  me  dree,  0 ; 

For  ye've  killed  Willie,  the  widow's  son, 

And  he  would  have  married  me,  0." 

2,'j     She  turn'd  her  back  unto  the  room. 
Her  face  unto  the  wa',  0 ; 
And  with  a  deep  and  heavy  sigh, 
Her  heart  it  brake  in  twa,  0. 


44  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


CLEEK  SAUNDERS. 

First  published  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish 
Border,  vol.  iii.,  p.  175. 

"This  romantic  ballad,"  says  Sir  Walter,  "is  taken  from  Mr. 
Herd's  MSS.,  with  sevei-al  corrections  from  a  shorter  and  more  im- 
perfect copy,  in  the  same  volume,  and  one  or  two  conjectural 
emendations  in  the  arrangement  of  the  stanzas.  The  resemblance  of 
the  conclusion  to  the  ballad  beginning,  '  There  came  a  ghost  to 
Margaret's  door,'  will  strike  every  reader.  The  tale  is  uncommonly 
wild  and  beautiful,  and  apparently  very  correct.  The  custom  of  the 
passing  bell  is  still  kept  up  in  many  villages  in  Scotland.  The 
sexton  goes  through  the  town  ringing  a  small  bell,  and  announcing 
the  death  of  the  departed,  and  the  time  of  the  funeral.  The  three 
concluding  verses  have  been  recovered  since  the  first  edition  of  this 
work ;  and  I  am  informed  by  the  recitei-,  that  it  was  usual  to  separate 
from  the  rest  that  part  of  the  ballad  which  follows  the  death  of  the 
lovers,  as  belonging  to  another  story.  For  this,  however,  there 
seems  no  necessity,  as  other  authorities  give  the  whole  as  a  complete 
tale." 

A  second  version  was  published  by  Mr.  Jamieson,  Popular 
Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  i,  p.  80,  "which,  though  of  inferior  beaiity,  is  not 
the  less  valuable,  as  illustrating  the  transmutations  to  which  tradi- 
tionary song  is  inevitably  subjected." 

"Nothing,"  says  Jamieson,  "could  have  been  better  imagined 
than  the  circumstance  in  Mr.  Scott's  copy,  of  killing  Clerk  Saunders 
while  his  mistress  was  asleep  (stanza  13)  ;  nor  can  anything  be  more 
natural  or  pathetic  than  the  two  stanzas  that  follow.  They  might 
have  charmed  a  whole  volume  of  bad  poetry  against  the  ravages  of 
time  ;  in  Mr.  Scott's  volumes  they  shine  but  like  pearls  among 
diamonds." 

Jamieson's  version  was,  as  he  states,  mainly  "transmitted  by 
Mrs.  Arrott,  of  Aberbrothick. "  Stanzas  1  and  2  are  thence  taken, 
"because,"  as  stated  by  Motherwell,  "they  supply  information  as 
to  the  rank  in  society  respectively  held  by  these  ill-fated  lovers; 
and  by  hinting  at  the  scholastic  acquirements  of  Clerk  Saunders, 
they  prepare  us  for  the  casuistry  by  which  he  seeks  to  reconcile 
May  Margaret's  conscience  to  a  most  Jesuitical  oath."  For  verses 
extracted  from  Jamieson's  version,  see  following  baUad. 

A  third  version  of  Part  I.  was  published  by  Kinloch — AncieM 
Scottish  Ballads,  p.  233 — and  is  there  styled  "the  North  Country 
version  of  this  popular  and  pathetic  ballad."  It  is  followed  by  an 
imperfect  copy  of  "Sweet  William  and  May  Margaret,"  which  Mr. 
Kinloch  confounds  with  the  concluding  portion  of  Scott's  version  of 
this  present  ballad. 

A  fourth  version,  named  "  Clerk  Sandy,"  was  published  by  Buchan, 
Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  Sec,  vol.  i.,  p.  160. 

Scott's  version  is  greatly  superior  to  any  of  the  others,  and  is  here 
generally  followed;  but  stanzas  10,  12,  17,  and  18,  of  the  present 


CLERK  SAUNDERS.  45 


collated  version,  are  either  wholly  or  partly  derived  from  Kinloch's  ; 
and  stanzas  21,  22,  23,  from  Buchan's  versions,  above  referred  to. 

Part  I.  resembles  the  preceding  ballad,  and  has  its  counterpart 
in  the  Swedish  ballad,  "Den  Grymma  Brodern,"  Svenska  Folk- 
Visor,  No.  86  (translated  in  Literature  and  Romance  of  North 
Europe,  p.  519)  ;  and  in  the  Spanish  ballad,  "  De  la  Blanca  Mina," 
in  the  Momanccro  de  Amheres. 

Part  II.  resembles  the  ballad  which  follows,  and  "  Aage  og  Else," 
Grundtvig,  No.  90  (translated  by  Robert  Buchanan,  in  Ballad 
Stories  of  the  Affections,  from  the  Scandinavian,  p.  112). 

Variations  to  stanzas  34  and  35,  from  the  following  ballad — ■ 
"  Sweet  William's  Ghost " — are  noted  under  those  stanzas,  p.  48. 


PAKT  I. 

Clerk  Saunders  was  an  earl's  son, 
He  lived  upon  the  salt  sea  strand; 

May  Margaret  was  a  king's  daughter, 
She  lived  away  in  upper  land. 

Clerk  Saunders  was  an  earl's  son, 
He  was  weel  learn'd  at  the  scheel ; 

May  Margaret  was  a  king's  daughter ; — 
They  baith  did  lo'e  each  ither  weel. 

Clerk  Saunders  and  May  Margaret 
Walk'd  fondly  o'er  yon  garden  green  ; 

And  sad  and  heavy  was  the  love 

That  fell  the  Clerk  and  May  between. 

"  A  bed,  a  bed,"  Clerk  Saunders  said, 
"  A  bed,  fair  May,  for  you  and  me  ! " 

"  Fye  na,  fye  na,"  said  May  Margaret, 
"  Till  ance  that  Ave  twa  married  be. 

"  For  in  may  come  my  seven  brothers, 
With  torches  burning  red  and  bright; 

They'll  say — '  We  ha'e  but  ae  sister, 
And,  behold,  she 's  sleeping  with  a  knight ! ' " 

"  Then  take  the  brand  frae  out  my  hand, 

And  with  it  slowly  lift  the  pin ; 
And  you  may  swear,  and  safe  your  aith, 

Ye  never  let  Clerk  Saunders  in. 

"  And  take  a  napkin  in  your  hand, 
And  tie  up  baith  your  bonnie  een  ; 

And  you  may  swear,  and  safe  your  aith, 
Ye  saw  me  na  since  late  yestreen." 


46  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


8  It  was  about  the  midnight  hour, 

When  soundly  they  asleep  were  laid, 
That  in  and  came  her  seven  brothers, 
With  torches  burning  bright  and  red. 

9  When  in  and  came  her  seven  brothers, 

With  torches  burning  red  and  bright, 
They  said — "  We  ha'e  but  ae  sister, 
And  behold  her  sleeping  with  a  knight  I  " 

10  Oh,  out  it  speaks  the  first  of  them, 

"  We  will  awa  and  let  them  be ;  " 

Then  out  it  speaks  the  second  of  them, 

"  His  father  has  nae  mair  but  he." 

11  And  out  and  spake  the  third  of  them, 

"  I  wot  that  they  are  lovers  dear ; " 
And  out  and  spake  the  fourth  of  them, 

"  They  ha'e  been  in  love  this  mony  a  year." 

12  Then  out  it  speaks  the  fifth  of  them, 

"  It  were  a  sin  to  do  them  ill ; " 
Then  out  it  spake  the  sixth  of  them, 
"  'Twere  shame  a  sleeping  man  to  kill." 

13  Then  up  and  gat  the  seventh  of  them, 

And  never  a  word  spake  he  ; 
But  he  has  striped  his  bright  brown  brand 
Out  through  Clerk  Saunders'  fair  bodye. 

14  Clerk  Saunders  he  started,  and  Margaret  she  turn'd 

Into  his  arms,  as  asleep  she  lay  ; 
And  sad  and  silent  was  the  night 
That  was  atween  these  lovers  twae. 

15  And  she  lay  still  and  sleeped  sound, 

Until  the  day  began  to  daw  ; 
Then  kindly  to  him  she  did  say, 

"  It  is  time,  true  love,  you  were  awa." 

16  But  he  lay  still,  as  sleeping  sound. 

Albeit  the  sun  began  to  sheen ; 
She  looked  atween  her  and  the  wall. 
And  dull  and  drumlie  were  his  een. 

17  May  Margaret  turn'd  the  blankets  down, 

The  sheet  she  turn'd  it  to  the  wall ; 
And  when  she  saw  his  bluidj'  wound. 
Her  tears  they  bitterly  did  fall. 


CLERK   SAUNDERS.  47 


18  "  Oh,  wae  be  to  ye,  my  fause  brothers, 

Ay,  and  an  ill  death  may  ye  dee, 
Ye  have  slain  Clerk  Saunders,  my  true  love, 
That  loved  and  would  ha'e  wedded  me." 

19  Then  in  and  came  her  father  dear; 

Said— ^"  Margaret,  let  your  mourning  be; 
I'll  carry  the  dead  corpse  to  the  clay. 
And  then  come  back  and  comfort  thee." 

20  "  Comfort  ye  weel  your  seven  sons. 

For  comforted  will  I  never  be ; 
I  ween  'twas  neither  knave  nor  lown 
Was  in  the  bow'r  last  night  with  me." 

21  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  daughter  dear, 

Oh,  hush,  and  let  your  mourning  be; 
I'll  wed  you  to  a  higher  match 

Than  e'er  his  father's  son  could  be." 

22  "  Wed  well,  wed  well  your  seven  sons, 

I  wish  ill  wedded  they  may  be; 
For  they  have  kill'd  my  ain  true  love, 
Wha  loved  and  would  ha'e  wedded  me. 

23  "  Wed  well,  wed  well  your  seven  sons, 

But  ill  deaths  may  the  dastards  dee; 
For  they  have  slain  my  ain  true  love, 
And  wedded  shall  I  never  be." 

Part  II. 

24  The  clinking  bell  gaed  through  the  town, 

The  corpse  was  laid  in  kindred  clay ; 
And  the  ghost  at  Margaret's  window  stood 
An  hour  before  the  dawn  of  day. 

25  "  Oh,  if  ye  sleep,  then  wake,  Margaret, 

Or  if  ye  wake,  then  list  to  me ; 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth  again, 
I  wot,  true  love,  I  gave  to  thee." 

2G     "  Your  faith  and  troth  ye  shall  never  get, 
Nor  our  true  love  shall  never  twin. 
Until  ye  come  within  my  bow'r, 

And  kiss  me  ance  mair  cheek  and  chin," 

27     "  My  mouth  it  is  full  cold,  Margaret, 

Its  smell  is  now  both  rank  and  Strang; 
And  if  I  kiss  thy  comely  mouth. 
Thy  days  of  life  will  not  be  lang. 


48  BALIJ^D   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


28  "  Oh,  cocks  are  crowing  a  merry  midnight ; 

I  wot,  the  wild-fowls  are  boding  day ; 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth  again, 
And  let  me  fare  upon  my  way. 

29  "  Oh,  cocks  are  crowing  a  merry  midnight; 

I  wot,  the  wild-fowls  are  boding  day ; 
The  psalms  of  heaven  will  soon  be  sung, 
And  I  ere  now  will  be  missed  away." 

30  Then  she  has  ta'en  a  crystal  wand, 

She  has  stroken  her  troth  thereon, 
And  given  it  out  at  the  shot  window, 
With  mony  a  sigh  and  heavy  groan. 

31  "  I  thank  ye,  Marg'ret,  I  thank  ye,  Marg'rct, 

And  aye  I  thank  ye  heartilie  ; 
If  ever  the  dead  come  for  the  quick. 
Be  sure,  Marg'ret,  I'll  come  for  thee." 

32  "She  waited  not  for  gown  nor  hose, 

Nor  yet  for  shoon,  to  put  them  onf 
But  up  she  got  and  follow'd  him, 
And  to  the  kirkyard  she  has  gone. 

33  She  climb'd  the  wall  and  follow'd  him 

Into  the  kirkyard  all  alone  ; 
Then  stood  beside  his  new-made  grave, 
And  thus  she  made  her  heavy  moan  : 

34  "  Is  there  ony  room  at  your  head,  Saunders? 

Is  there  ony  room  at  your  feet  ? 
Or  ony  room  at  your  side,  Saunders, 
Where  fain,  fain  I  would  sleep  ?  "  * 

35  "  There  is  nae  room  at  my  head,  Marg'ret, 

And  there  is  nae  room  at  my  feet ; 
My  bed  it  is  full  lowly  now : 

Amang  the  hungry  Avorms  I  sleep. f 

36  "  Cauld  mould  it  is  my  covering  now. 

And  cauld  mould  my  winding  sheet: 
Tlie  dew  it  falls  nae  sooner  down. 
Than  my  resting-place  is  weet. 

*  "  Wherein  that  I  may  creep." 

t  "  There 's  nae  room  at  my  side,  Marg'ret, 
My  coffin's  made  bo  meet" 


WIT  AT  NEED,  49 


37  "  But  plait  a  wand  of  bonnie  birk, 

And  lay  the  wand  upon  my  breast ; 
And  shed  a  tear  upon  my  grave, 
And  wish  ye  for  my  saul  gude  rest. 

38  "  And  fair  Marg'ret,  and  rare  Marg'ret, 

And  fair  Marg'ret  of  veritie, 
If  ever  ye  love  another  man, 
Never  love  him  as  ye  did  me." 

39  Then  up  and  crew  the  milk-white  cock, 

And  up  and  loudly  crew  the  gray ; 
Her  lover  vanish'd  in  the  air, 

And  she  gaed  sadly  weeping  away. 


WIT  AT  NEED. 

The  following  verses  are  taken  from  Jamieson'a  version  of  "  Clerk 
Saunders,"  into  which  they  appear  to  have  been  introduced  errone- 
ously by  some  reciter,  as  similar  verses  occur  apart  in  Danish  (Danske, 
v.,  No.  204,  and  Arwidsson,  I.,  358).  They  also  resemble  the 
Scotish  song,  "Hame  cam'  our  gudeman  at  e'en,"  first  printed  by 
Herd  (vol.  ii. ,  p.  74),  and  one  of  the  same  description  in  the  Danish 
{Kcempe  Viser,  p.  709),  translated  by  Jamieson,  in  Northern  Anti- 
quities, p.  424,  where  it  appears  under  the  heading  given  above.  The 
two  last  lines  of  stanzas  2  and  5  are  here  added  to  fill  tip  the  hiatus 
of  the  original ;  and  the  first  word  of  stanzas  3  and  6  is  in  conse- 
quence altered  from  "But"  to  "Then."  The  second  lines  of  stanzas 
2  and  5  are  somewhat  nonsensical. 

1  "  Oh,  tell  us,  tell  us,  May  Margaret, 

And  dinna  to  us  lain,* 
Oh,  wha  is  aught  yon  noble  steed^ 
That  stands  your  stable  in?" 

2  "  The  steed  is  mine,  and  it  may  be  thine. 

To  ride  when  ye  ride  on  hie ; 
But  I  am  sick,  and  very,  very  sick, 
And  as  sick  as  I  can  be. 

3  "  Then  awa,  awa,  my  bauld  brethren, 

Awa  and  mak'  nae  din ; 
For  I  am  as  sick  a  lady  the  nicht. 
As  e'er  lay  a  bow'r  within." 

•  "  Lein : "  to  conceal.  The  word  used  by  Jamieson  Is  "  len,"  'which  he  thus  explains ; 
—"The  term  'len'  here  means  to  stop  or  hesitate,  and  is  used  in  the  same  sense 
by  Browne  in  his  Britannia's  Pastor-als.  It  seems  to  be  the  same  with  the  old 
English  and  Scottish  '  blin,'  to  cease  or  stop." 


50  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


*'  Oh,  tell  us,  tell  us,  May  Margaret, 

And  dinna  to  us  lain, 
Oh,  wha  is  aught  yon  noble  hawk 

That  stands  your  kitchen  in?" 

"  The  hawk  is  mine,  and  it  may  be  thine, 
To  hawk  when  ye  hawk  in  hie  ; 

But  I  am  sick,  and  very,  very  sick, 
And  as  sick  as  I  can  be. 

"  Then  awa,  awa,  my  bauld  brethren, 

Awa  and  mak'  nae  din; 
I'm  ane  of  the  sickest  ladies  this  nicht. 

That  e'er  lay  bow'r  within." 

"  Oh,  tell  us,  tell  us.  May  Margaret, 

And  dinna  to  us  lein, 
Oh,  wha  is  that,  May  Margaret, 

You  and  the  wall  between  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it  is  my  bow'r-maiden,"  she  says, 

"  As  sick  as  sick  can  be ; 
Oh,  it  is  my  bow'r-maiden,"  she  says, 

"  And  she 's  thrice  as  sick  as  me." 

"  We  ha'e  been  east,  and  we've  been  west, 

And  low  beneath  the  moon; 
But  all  the  bow'r-women  e'er  we  saw 

Hadna  goud  bucldes  in  their  shoon." 


SWEET  WILLIAM'S  GHOST. 

First  printed  by  Ramsay  in  the  Ten  Table  Miscellany.  Mother- 
well tumished  a  second  version,  under  the  title  of  "William  and 
Marjorie,"  in  the  Minstrelsy,  p.  186 ;  and  Kinloch  a  third,  imder  the 
title  of  "Sweet  William  and  May  Margaret,"  in  Ancient  Scottish 
Ballads,  p.  241. 

The  present  copy  is  collated  from  all  three,  but  omits  two  stanzas, 
corresponding  to  stanzas  34  and  35  of  "  Clerk  Saunders  "  (p.  48),  to 
which  they  appear  properly  to  belong.  These  stanzas  are  given  by 
Eamsay,  but  are  omitted  by  both  Motherwell  and  Kinloch. 

Ramsay's  version  begins  with  lines  3  and  4 ;  and  the  stanza  is  com- 
jjleted  with  the  following  lines : — 

"  And  aye  he  tirled  at  the  pin, 
But  answer  made  she  nane," 

which,  followed  as  they  are  by  questions  almost  identical  with  those 
propounded  in  stanza  2 — here  printed  from  Kinloch's  version — is 
manifestly  inconsistent. 


SWEET  WILLIAM'S  GHOST,  51 


1  As  Lady  Marg'ret  sat  in  her  bow'r, 

In  her  bow'r  all  alone, 
There  came  a  ghost  to  her  bow'r  door, 
With  many  a  grievous  groan. 

2  "  Oh,  is  it  my  father  ?  oh,  is  it  my  mother  ? 

Or  is  it  my  brother  John  ? 
Or  is  it  sweet  "William,  my  ain  true  love, 
To  Scotland  new  come  home  ?  " 

3  "  It  is  not  your  father,  it  is  not  your  mother, 

It  is  not  your  brother  John ; 
But  it  is  sweet  William,  your  ain  true  love, 
To  Scotland  new  come  home." 

4  "  Ha'e  ye  brought  me  any  fine  things, 

Any  new  thing  for  to  wear? 
Or  ha'e  ye  brought  a  braid  of  lace 
To  snood  up  my  gowden  hair?  " 

5  "  I've  brought  ye  nae  fine  things  at  all. 

Nor  any  new  thing  to  wear, 
Nor  ha'e  I  brought  ye  a  braid  of  lace 
To  snood  up  your  gowden  hair. 

6  "  But  sweet  Marg'ret  I  0  dear  Marg'ret ! 

I  pray  thee,  speak  to  me; 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth,  Marg'ret, 
As  I  gave  it  to  thee." 

7  "  Thy  faith  and  troth  thou's  never  get. 

Nor  will  I  with  thee  twin, 
Till  that  thou  come  within  my  bow'r. 
And  kiss  me  cheek  and  chin." 

8  "  My  lips  they  are  sae  bitter,"  he  says, 

"  My  breath  it  is  sae  Strang; 
If  you  get  ae  kiss  of  my  clay-cauld  lips. 
Your  days  will  not  be  lang. 

9  "0  sweet  Marg'ret !  0  dear  Marg'ret! 

0  Marg'ret  of  veritie. 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth  again. 
As  I  gave  them  to  thee." 

10     "  Thy  faith  and  troth  thou's  never  get ! 
Fast  to  them  will  I  cling. 
Till  yo  1  take  me  to  yonder  kirk, 
And  wed  me  with  a  rinar." 


52  BALLAD   MIXSTRELSr  OF  SCOTLAND. 


11  "  Do  you  not  see  my  cheeks,  Marg'ret, 

Sae  sunken  and  sae  wan? 
Do  you  not  see,  my  dear  Marg'ret, 
I  am  nae  earthly  man  ? 

12  "  My  body  lies  in  yon  kirkyard, 

Close  by  the  rolling  sea; 
And  it  is  but  my  ghost,  Marg'ret, 
That 's  speaking  now  to  thee. 

13  "  Then  sweet  Marg'ret!  0  dear  Marg'ret ! 

I  pray  thee,  for  charitie. 
To  give  me  back  my  faith  and  troth, 
As  I  gave  them  to  thee." 

14  "  Your  faith  and  troth  ye  shall  not  get, 

Nor  will  I  twin  with  thee, 
Till  ye  tell  me  of  heaven's  joys, 
Or  hell's  pains,  how  they  be." 

15  "  The  joys  of  heaven  I  wot  not  of, 

The  pains  of  hell  I  dree; 
But  I  hear  the  cocks  begin  to  craw, 
Sae  I  must  hence  frae  thee. 

16  "  The  cocks  are  crawing,  dear  Marg'ret, 

The  cocks  are  crawing  again; 
The  dead  must  now  part  frae  the  quick, 
And  sae  I  must  be  gane." 

17  No  more  the  ghost  to  Marg'ret  said. 

But  with  a  grievous  groan 
Evanished  in  a  cloud  of  mist, 
And  left  her  all  alone. 

18  Now  she  has  kilted  her  robes  of  green 

A  piece  below  her  knee, 
And  all  the  live-lang  winter  night 
The  dead  corp  follow'd  she. 

19  She  follow'd  high,  she  follow'd  low, 

To  yonder  kirkyard  lone, 
And  there  the  deep  grave  open'd  up, 
And  William  he  sank  down. 

20  "  Oh,  what  three  things  are  these,  William, 

That  stand  here  at  your  head  ?  " 
"  Oh,  it 's  three  maidens,  sweet  Marg'ret, 
I  promised  once  to  wed." 


THE   CLERKS   OF   OXENFORD.  53 


22  "  Oh,  what  three  things  are  these,  William, 

That  stand  close  at  your  side?" 
"  Oh,  it  is  three  babies,  Marg'ret, 
That  these  three  maidens  had." 

23  "  Oh,  what  three  things  are  these,  William, 

Thatiye  close  at  your  feet?" 
"  Oh,  it  is  three  hell-hounds,  Marg'ret, 
Waiting  my  eaul  to  keep." 

24  Then  she  's  ta'en  up  her  white,  white  hand, 

And  struck  him  on  the  breast, 
"  Have  there  again  your  faith  and  troth, 
And  I  wish  your  saul  good  rest." 


THE  CLERKS  OF  OXENFORD. 

Abridged,  and  slightly  emendated,  from  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads, 
&c.,  voL  i.,  p.  281. 

Mr.  Buchan  (note,  p.  319)  describes  the  two  clerks  as  "sons  of 
the  Laird  of  Oxenford,"  in  the  county  of  Mid-Lothian;  the  place, 
"Billsbury,"  as  "a  famous  town,  at  that  time  celebrated  for  its 
seminaries  of  learning;"  and  the  period,  to  "  have  been  in  the  time 
of  the  feudal  law. " 

Mr.  Chambers  prints  the  ballad  under  the  title  of  "  The  Clerk's  Twa 
Sons  o'  Owsenford — Part  First,"  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  345,  and  states 
it  to  be  "chiefly  taken  from  the  recitation  of  the  editor's  grand- 
mother (who  learned  it,  when  a  girl,  nearly  seventy  years  ago 
[about  1760],  from  Miss  Anne  Gray,  resident  at  Neidpath  Castle, 
Peebleshire) ;  some  additional  stanzas,  and  a  few  various  readings, 
being  adopted  from  a  less  perfect,  and  far  less  poetical  copy,  published 
in  Mr.  Buchan' s  Aticknt  and  Modern  Ballads."  The  reader  may, 
however,  be  surprised  to  learn  that  the  ballad,  as  given  by  Mr. 
Chambers,  is  almost  identical  with  the  stanzas  here  given  from 
Mr.  Buchan's  ballad  ;  but  the  scene  of  the  tragedy  is  transferred  by 
him  from  "Billsbury"  to  "Parish,"  or,  as  he  notes  it,  "Paris," — 
which  latter  is  not,  however,  within  a  day's  journey  or  sail  of  Oxen- 
ford,  in  Mid-Lothian.  Oxenford  gave  the  title  of  Viscount — now 
dormant — to  one  of  the  Macgill  family,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  IL  It 
is  now  a  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Stair. 

Mr.  Chambers's  "Second  Part"  contains  two  stanzas  slightly 
altered  from  Mr.  Buchan's  ballad ;  the  others,  with  the  exception  of 
two  or  three  additional  stanzas,  being  almost  identical  with  "The 
Wife  of  Usher's  Well,"  first  published  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy. 

The  ballads  thus  united  were  regarded  by  Professor  Aytoun — 
Ballads  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.,  p.  116— as  quite  distinct;  and  even 
Mr.  Chambers  virtually  admits  it,   when  he  refers  to   "the  great 


54  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


superiority  of  what  follows  over  what  goes  before" — i.e.,  of  "Part 
Second"  over  "  Part  First;"  and  to  "  the  latter  portion  as  in  a  great 
measure  independent  of  the  other.'"  The  extracts  are  quoted  in  italics 
as  given  by  Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  ii., 
p.  63;  the  last-named  editor  adding  his  opinion,  "  that  the  two  parts 
originally  had  no  connection,  [but]  were  arbitrarily  united,  to  suit  the 
purposes  of  some  unscrupulous  rhapsodist. "  He  also  mentions  that 
"there  is  to  a  certain  extent  a  resemblance  between  this  ballad  and 
the  German  ballad,  '  Das  Schloss  in  Oesterrich,'  found  in  most  of 
the  German  collections,  and  in  Swedish  and  Danish." 

1  I  WILL  sing  to  you  a  waeful  sang, 

Will  grieve  your  heart  full  sair, 
How  the  twa  bonnie  clerks  of  Oxenford 
Went  aff  to  learn  their  lear. 

2  Their  father  loved  them  very  weel, 

Their  mother  meikle  mair, 
And  they  sent  them  on  to  Billsbury 
To  learn  deeper  lear. 

3  They  hadna  been  in  Billsbury 

A  twelvemonth  and  a  day, 
Till  the  mayor's  twa  daughters  of  Billsbury 
On  them  their  loves  did  lay, 

4  And  aye  as  the  twa  clerks  sat  and  wrote, 

The  ladies  sew'd  and  sang; 
There  was  mair  mirth  in  that  chamber 
Than  in  all  Ferrol's  land. 

5  But  word  has  gane  to  the  haughty  mayor, 

As  o'er  his  lands  he  rade, 
That  the  twa  bonnie  clerks  of  Oxenford 
His  daughters  had  betray'd. 

6  "  Oh,  have  they  betray'd  my  daughters  dear, 

The  heirs  of  all  my  land  ? 
Then  the  morn,  ere  I  eat  or  drink, 
I'll  hang  them  with  my  hand." 

7  Then  he  has  ta'en  the  twa  bonnie  clerks, 

Bound  them  frae  tap  to  tae, 
Till  the  reddest  bluid  within  their  veins 
Out  o'er  their  nails  did  gae. 

8  Then  word  has  gane  to  Oxenford, 

Frae  the  clerks  in  prison  Strang, 

That  ere  the  morn  at  twelve  o'clock, 

The  mayor  he  would  them  hang. 


THE   CLERKS  OF  OXENFORD.  55 


9     Then  up  spake  Lady  Oxenford, 
While  tears  fell  fast  and  free — 
"  O  husband,  take  good  store  of  gold, 
And  let  them  borrow'd  be. 

10  "  0  husband,  take  good  store  of  gold, 

And  bring  them  back  with  thee ; 
But  if  you  get  not  hynde  Henry, 
Bring  Gilbert  hame  to  me." 

11  Out  then  spake  auld  Oxenford, 

A  waeful  man  was  he — 
"  Youf  strange  wish  it  does  me  surprise, 
They  are  baith  alike  to  me." 

12  Oh,  sweetly  sang  the  nightingale, 

As  she  sat  on  the  wand; 
But  sair,  sair  mourn'd  Oxenford, 
As  he  gaed  to  the  strand. 

13  When  he  came  to  the  prison  Strang, 

He  rade  it  round  about. 
And  at  a  little  shot-window 
His  sons  were  looking  out. 

14  "  Oh,  lye  ye  there,  my  sons,"  he  said, 

"  For  oxen  or  for  kye? 
Or  for  a  cast  of  dear-bought  love. 
Do  ye  in  prison  lye  ?  " 

15  "  We  lye  not  here,  father,"  they  said, 

"  For  oxen  or  for  kye ; 
But  for  a  cast  of  dear-bought  love, 
We  are  condemned  to  die." 

16  "  Oh,  borrow  us,  borrow  us,  father, 

For  the  love  we  bear  to  thee !  " 
"  Oh,  never  fear,  my  bonnie  sons, 
Weel  borrow'd  ye  shall  be." 

17  Then  he  has  gane  to  the  haughty  mayor, 

And  hail'd  him  courteouslie — 
"  Good  day,  good  day,  good  Billsbury, 
God  make  you  safe  and  free  ! 

18  "  Good  day,  good  day,  good  Billsbury, 

A  boon  I  crave  frae  thee." 
Come,  sit  ye  down,  brave  Oxenford, 
What  is  your  will  with  me  ?  " 


56  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


19  "  Will  ye  gi'e  me  my  sons  again, 

For  gold  or  yet  for  fee? 
Will  ye  gi'e  me  my  sons  again 
For's  sake  that  died  on  tree?  " 

20  "  I  winna  gi'e  ye  your  sons  again, 

For  gold  nor  yet  for  fee; 
But  if  ye  stay  a  little  while, 
Ye'U  see  them  baith  hang'd  hie." 

21  In  then  came  the  mayor's  daughters, 

With  kirtle,  coat  alone; 
Their  eyes  they  sparkled  like  the  gold. 
As  they  trjpp'd  o'er  the  stone, 

22  "  Oh,  will  ye  gi'e  us  our  loves,  father, 

For  gold  or  yet  for  fee? 
Or  will  ye  take  our  own  sweet  lives, 
And  let  our  true  loves  be  ?  " 

23  He  's  ta'en  a  whip  into  his  hand, 

And  lash'd  them  wondrous  sair ; 
"  Gae  to  your  bow'rs,  ye  vile  lemans, 
Ye'U  never  see  them  mair." 

24  Then  out  and  spake  auld  Oxenford, 

A  waeful  man  was  he — 
"  Gang  to  your  bow'rs,  ye  lily  flowers, 
For,  oh,  this  maunna  be." 

25  Then  out  and  spake  him  hynde  Henrie— 

"  Come  here,  Janet,  to  me ; 
Will  ye  gi'e  me  ray  faith  and  troth, 
And  love,  as  I  gave  thee?  " 

26  "  Oh,  ye  shall  ha'e  your  faith  and  troth. 

With  God's  blessing  and  mine  !  " 
And  twenty  times  she  kiss'd  his  mouth. 
Her  father  looking  on, 

27  Then  out  and  spake  him  gay  Gilbert — 

"Come  here,  Marg'ret,  to  me; 
Will  ye  gi'e  me  my  faith  and  troth, 
And  love,  as  I  gave  thee  ?  " 

28  "  Yes,  ye  shall  get  your  faith  and  troth. 

With  God's  blessing  and  mine  !" 
And  twenty  times  she  kiss'd  his  mouth. 
Her  father  looking  on. 


THE  WIFE   OF   USHEE'S  WELL.  57 


29  "  Ye'll  take  aff  your  twa  black  hats, 

And  lay  them  on  that  stone, 
That  naue  may  ken  that  ye  are  clerks 
When  ye  are  putten  down." 

30  The  boqnie  clerks  they  died  that  mom, 

Their  loves  died  lang  ere  noon ; 
And  baith  their  fathers  and  mothers  died 
For  sorrow  very  soon. 

31  Six  of  the  souls  went  up  to  heaven, 

(I  wish  sae  may  we  a' !) 
But  the  cruel  mayor  went  down  to  hell, 
Forjudging  unjust  law. 


THE  WIFE  OF  USHEE'S  WELL. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ill.,  p.  258. 

Stanza  4  is  adapted  from  Buchan's  ballad,  "The  Clerks  of  Oxen- 
ford;"  and  stanza  5  from  Chambers's  ballad,  "  The  Clerk's  Twa  Sons 
o'  Owsenford — Part  Second." 

The  explanatory  notes  [marked  S.]  are  from  the  pen  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott. 

1  There  lived  a  wife  at  Usher's  Well, 

And  a  wealthy  wife  was  she ; 
She  had  three  stout  and  stalwart  sons, 
And  sent  them  o'er  the  sea. 

2  They  hadna  been  a  week  from  her, 

A  week  but  barely  ane, 
When  word  came  back  to  the  carline  wife, 
That  her  three  sons  were  gane. 

3  They  hadna  been  a  week  from  her, 

A  week  but  barely  three, 
When  word  came  to  the  carline  wife, 
That  her  sons  she'd  never  see : 

4  That  they  were  learning  a  deeper  lear. 

And  at  a  higher  schule; 
But  them  she  wou'd  never  see  again. 
On  the  holy  days  of  Yule. 


58  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"  I  wish  the  wind  may  never  cease,* 

Nor  fishes  f  in  the  flood, 
Till  my  three  sons  come  hame  to  me 

In  earthly  flesh  and  blood." 

It  fell  about  the  Martinmas, 
When  nights  are  lang  and  mirk, 

The  carline  wife's  three  sons  came  hame, 
And  their  hats  were  of  the  birk. 

It  neither  grew  in  syke  nor  ditch, 

Nor  yet  in  ony  sheugh; 
But  at  the  gates  of  Paradise 

That  birk  grew  fair  eneuch.;}: 


8    "  Blow  up  the  fire,  my  maidens,  and 
Bring  water  from  the  well ; 
For  all  my  house  shall  feast  this  night, 
Since  my  three  sons  are  well. 

y     "  Oh,  eat  and  drink,  my  merry  men  all. 
The  better  shall  ye  fare ; 
For  my  three  sons  they  are  come  hame 
To  me  for  evermair." 

10     And  she  has  made  to  them  a  bed, 
She  's  made  it  large  and  wide ; 
And  she  's  ta'en  her  mantle  her  about. 
Sat  down  at  the  bedside. 


11  Up  then  crew  the  red,  red  cock, 

And  up  and  crew  the  gray; 
The  eldest  to  the  youngest  said — 
"  'Tis  time  we  were  away." 

12  The  cock  he  hadna  craw'd  but  ance, 

At  dawning  of  the  day. 
When  the  eldest  to  the  youngest  said — 
"  Brother,  we  must  away." 

•  The  sense  of  this  verse  is  obscure,  owing  probably  to  cormption  by  reciters.  [S.J 

t  Subsequent  editors  have  changed  " fishes "  to  "  fashes,"  "freshes,"  and 
"freshets." 

J  The  notion,  that  the  souls  of  the  blessed  wear  garlands,  seems  to  be  of  Jewish 
origin.  At  least,  in  the  "  Maase-book,"  there  is  a  Eabbinical  tradition  to  that 
effect— See  Jeurish  Traditions,  abridgeiifrom  Buxtor/,  London,  1732,  voL  ii.,  p.  19.  [S. 


LEESOME   BRAND.  59 


13  "  The  cock  doth  ciaw,  the  day  doth  daw. 

The  channerin'*  worm  doth  chide; 
If  we  be  miss'd  out  of  our  place, 
A  sair  pain  we  maun  bide.f 

14  "  Then  fare  ye  weel,  my  mother  dearl 

Fareweel  to  bam  and  byre  ! 
And  fare  ye  weel,  the  bonnie  lass 
That  kindles  my  mother's  fire !" 


LEESOME  BRAND. 


From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  41 ;  with 
the  exception  of  verse  2,  which  is  inserted  from  a  kindred  portion  of 
"The  Brave  Earl  Brand  and  the  King  of  England's  Daughter," 
p.  32. 

Stanza  1  describes  '*  an  unco,"  or  wonderful  "  land,"  bearing  some 
resemblance  to  the  "  better  land,"  or  " oe."  —i.  e.,  island — of  "  Eibolt 
and  Guldborg,"  as  described  in  stanzas  3  to  9  inclusive,  of  the  version 
translated  by  Jamieson. 

Stanzas  3  to  8  inclusive,  represent  ten  stanzas  of  the  original,  here 
abridged  to  avoid  repetition  and  some  objectionable  details.  These 
stanzas  bear  some  resemblance  to,  but  are  more  ample  in  narrative 
than,  the  portion  of  "  The  Brave  Earl  Brand,"  &c.,  above  referred  to. 

The  succeeding  seven  stanzas  are  omitted  entirely,  because  tbey 
merely  represent — and  that  in  a  very  corrupt  form — several  stanzas 
of  "  Herr  Medelvold,"  and  similar  Danish  and  Swedish  ballads. 

In  the  Scandinavian  ballad,  the  hero  takes  his  lady's  gold  em- 
broidered shoe,  and  hastes  to  a  distant  rill  in  search  of  water  to 
quench  her  thirst ;  but  when  he  reaches  it,  two  nightingales  sing  to 
him  of  the  death  of  the  lady  and  her  two  new-born  infants.  He 
returns  ;  finds  them  dead ;  buries  them ;  fixes  his  sword  against  a 
tree  or  stone,  and  drives  the  blade  through  his  heart.  Two  versions 
of  this  ballad— "Sir  Wal  and  Lisa  Lyle,"  and  "Fair  Midel  and 
Kirsten  Lyle  " — as  translated  by  Jamieson,  appear  in  Illustrations  of 
Northern  Antiquities,  p.  373  and  p.  377. 

In  the  omitted  stanzas  of  Buchan's  ballad,  the  hero  is  an3i;hing 
but  gallant.  He  is  asked  by  the  lad}'  to  leave  her  alone — to  take 
his  "bow,"  and  go  to  "hunt  the  deer  and  roe,"  but  not  to  touch 
"  the  white  hynde."  He  obeys  only  too  willingly,  and  quite  forgets 
his  lady  until  reminded  by  the  passing  of  a  "milk-white  hynde," 
when  he  returns  and  finds  her  "lying  dead,"  with  her  "young  son  at 

*  "Channerin':"  fretting.    [S.] 

t  This  will  remind  the  German  readei  of  the  comic  adieu  of  a  heavenly 
apparition : — 

"  Doch  Bieh!  man  schliesst  die  himmels  thflr; 
Adieu!  der  himmUsche  Portier 
1st  strengund  hiilt  auf  ordnung."— ^Jumauer.    [S.] 


60  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


her  head."  Stanzas  somewhat  analogous  to  those  described  occur 
also  in  two  ballads  which  immediately  follow — viz.,  "The  Earl  of 
Douglas  and  Lady  Oliphant,"  and  "Sweet  Willie  and  Fair  Janet." 

Part  IL  narrates  the  sequel,  of  which  stanza  9  is  common  ballad 
property;  while  stanzas  10  to  14  are  almost  identical  with  four  stanzas 
of  a  ballad  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy  (p.  189),  under  the  title  of 
"The  Broom  blooms  Bonnie  and  says  it  is  Fair,"  which  four  stanzas 
follow  the  present  ballad,  and  are  all  of  Motherwell's  ballad  that  are 
considered  to  be  fit  for  publication  in  this  coUection. 

The  four  or  five  concluding  stanzas  of  "Leesome  Brand"  appear 
to  be  the  only  original  stanzas  it  contains. 

Part  I. 

1  My  boy  was  scarcely  ten  years  auld, 

When  he  went  to  an  unco  land, 
Where  wind  never  blew,  nor  cocks  ever  crew, 
Ohon!  for  my  son,  Leesome  Brand. 

2  Oh,  did  you  ever  hear  of  brave  Leesome  Brand? 

Hey  lillie,  ho  lillie  lallie; 
He  courted  the  king's  daughter  of  fair  England, 
In  the  brave  nights  so  early. 

3  Awa  to  that  king's  court  he  went, 

It  was  to  serve  for  meat  and  fee; 
Gude  red  gowd  it  was  his  hire, 

And  lang  in  that  king's  court  stay'd  he. 

4  He  hadna  been  in  that  king's  court, 

But  only  twellmonths  twa  or  three, 
Till  by  the  glancing  of  his  e'e, 

He  gain'd  the  love  of  a  gay  ladye. 

5  This  ladye  was  scarce  fifteen  years  auld, 
When  on  her  love  she  was  right  bauld; 
To  Leesome  Brand  she  then  did  say — 

"  In  this  place  I  can  nae  mair  stay. 

6  "  Ye  do  you  to  my  father's  stable, 

Where  steeds  do  stand  both  wight  and  able; 
Get  ane  for  you,  another  for  me, 
And  let  us  ride  out  o'er  the  lea. 


"  Ye  do  you  to  my  mother's  coffer, 
And  out  of  it  ye'll  take  my  tocher ; 
Therein  are  sixty  thousand  pounds, 
Which  all  to  me  by  right  belongs." 


LEESOME   BRAND.  61 


8  He 's  done  him  to  her  father's  stable, 

And  waled  twa  steeds  baith  wight  and  able ; 
He 's  done  him  to  her  mother's  coffer, 
And  there  he 's  ta'en  his  lover's  tocher. 

Part  II. 

9  His  mother  lay  o'er  her  castle  wall. 

And  she  beheld  baith  dale  and  down; 
And  she  beheld  young  Leesome  Brand, 
As  he  came  riding  to  the  town. 

10  "  Get  minstrels  for  to  play,"  she  said, 

"  And  dancers  to  dance  in  my  room; 

For  here  comes  my  son,  Leesome  Brand, 

And  he  comes  merrilie  to  the  town." 

11  "  Seek  nae  minstrels  to  play,  mother, 

Nor  dancers  to  dance  in  your  room; 
But  tho'  your  son  comes,  Leesome  Brand, 
Yet  he  comes  sorry  to  the  town. 

12  "  Oh,  I  ha'e  lost  my  gowden  knife, 

I  rather  had  lost  my  ain  sweet  life; 
And  I  ha'e  lost  a  better  thing, 
The  gilded  sheath  that  it  was  in." 

13  "  Are  there  nae  gowdsmiths  here  in  Fife 

Can  make  to  you  another  knife  ? 
Are  there  nae  sheath-makers  in  the  land 
Can  make  a  sheath  to  Leesome  Brand?  " 

14  "  There  are  nae  gowdsmiths  here  in  Fife 

Can  make  me  sic  a  gowden  knife; 
Nor  nae  sheath-makers  in  the  land 
Can  make  me  sic  a  sheath  again. 

15  "  There  ne'er  was  man  in  Scotland  bom, 

Ordain'd  to  be  so  much  forlorn  ; 
I've  lost  my  ladye  I  lov'd  sae  dear. 
Likewise  the  son  she  did  me  bear." 

16  "  Put  in  your  hand  at  my  bed  head. 

There  ye'll  find  a  gude  gray  horn; 
In  it  three  draps  of  Saint  Paul's  ain  bluid, 
That  ha'e  been  there  since  he  was  born. 

17  *'  Drap  twa  of  them  on  your  ladye, 

And  ane  upon  your  new-born  son; 
Then  as  lively  they  baith  will  be 

As  the  first  night  ye  brought  them  hame." 


62  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


18  He  put  his  hand  at  her  bed  head, 

And  there  he  found  a  gude  gray  horn, 

With  three  draps  of  Saint  Paul's  ain  bluid, 

That  had  been  there  since  he  was  born. 

19  Then  he  drapp'd  twa  on  his  ladye, 

And  ane  of  them  on  his  young  son  ; 
And  now  they  do  as  lively  be, 

As  the  first  day  he  brought  them  hame. 


THE  BROOM  BLOOMS   BONNIE  AND  SAYS  IT  IS  FAIR. 

From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  191.  See  introduction  to  pre- 
ceding ballad,  p.  59. 

The  complete  ballad  is  one  of  a  class  which,  following  the  judicious 
example  of  Professor  Child,  are  excluded  from  this  collection,  on 
account  of  the  revolting  nature  of  their  theme.  The  other  ballads 
of  the  class  referred  to  are — 

"Lizie  Wan,"  Herd,  vol.  i.,  p.  91. 

"The  Bonnie  Hynd,"  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  307. 

"  Castle  Ha's  Daughter,"  Buchan,  vol.  i.,  p.  241. 

"  Bold  Burnett's  Daughter "  (which  is  merely  referred  to  by 
Buchan  in  his  note,  vol.  i.,  p.  315),  and  "Lady  Jean,"  a  stanza  of 
which  is  given  by  Motherwell,  Appendix,  p.  xxi.,  note  to  music, 
xxiii. 

1  When  Willie  came  hame  to  his  father's  court  hall — 

The  broom  blooms  bonnie  and  says  it  is  fair ; 
There  was  music  and  minstrels  and  dancing  'mangthem  all — 
But  he'll  never  gang  down  to  the  broom  onie  mair. 

2  "  0  Willie  !  0  Willie  !  what  makes  thee  in  pain  ?  "— 

•  The  broom  blooms  bonnie  and  says  it  is  fair ; 
"  I  have  lost  a  sheath  and  knife  that  I'll  never  see  again — • 
For  we'll  never  gang  down  to  the  broom  onie  mair." 

3  "  There  are  ships  of  your  father's  sailing  on  the  sea  '' — 

The  broom  blooms  bonnie  and  says  it  is  fair ; 
"  That  will  bring  as  good  a  sheath  and  a  knife  unto  thee — 
And  we'll  never  gang  down  to  the  broom  onie  mair." 

4  "  There  are  ships  of  my  father's  sailing  on  the  sea  " — 

The  broom  blooms  bonnie  and  says  it  is  fair ; 
"  But  sic  a  sheath  and  knife  they  can  never  bring  to  me — 
Now  we'll  never  gang  down  to  the  broom  onie  mair." 


THE   EARL   OF  DOUGLAS.  63 


THE  EAKL  OF  DOUGLAS  AND  DAME  OLIPHANT. 

Abridged  from  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  181. 

It  is  probable  that  the  name  of  the  heroine,  in  place  of  "  Oliphant " 
— which  is  a  family  surname,  and  not  a  lady's  Christian  name — should 
read  "  Eleanor,"  and  that  the  ballad  may  relate  to  the  second  marriage 
of  "William  de  Douglas,  denominated  the  Hardy;"  of  the  circum- 
stances attending  which  marriage,  we  have  the  following  account : — 

"His  second  wife  appears  to  have  been  Eleanor,  relect  of  William 
Ferrers  of  Groby,  in  the  county  of  Leicester,  a  younger  son  of  William 
Earl  Derby.  This  William  Ferrers  died  1287-8,  leaving  Eleanor,  his 
second  wife,  surviving ;  and  she  going  to  Scotland  to  obtain  her  dowry 
of  such  lands  as  by  her  husband  belonged  to  her,  being  at  Travernent 
[Tranent],  the  manor-house  of  Helen  [or  Allan]  la  Zuche  [or  Suche], 
in  that  realm,  William  de  Douglas,  in  a  hostile  manner,  took  her 
thence  against  her  will,  and  carried  her  to  another  place ;  of  which 
complaint  being  made  to  King  Edward  I.,  he  sent  his  precept  to  the 
Sheriff  of  Northumberland,  to  sieze  upon  all  the  goods  and  chattels 
of  the  said  William  de  Douglas,  which  then  were  in  his  bailiwick. 
But  in  1290-1,  in  consideration  of  £100  hne,  the  king  granted  to 
William  de  Douglas  the  benefit  of  her  marriage."  And  in  a  note  we 
are  further  "  informed,  that  in  a  MS.  collection  of  English  records,  the 
second  wife  of  William  Ferrers,  who  died  16th  Edward  I.,  is  stated 
to  have  been  Comitissa  de  Fife,  in  Scotia,  vidua  Colbani  et  mater 
Macduffi,  Comitum  de  Fife. " — Douglas's  Peerage  of  Scotland,  second 
edition,  edited  by  J.  P.  Wood,  vol.  i.,  p.  420. 

The  baUad  resembles  in  some  respects  both  "  Leesome  Brand" 
and  the  ballad  which  follows  this. 

1  Willie  was  an  earl's  ae  son, 

An  earl's  ae  son  was  he  ; 
And  he  is  on  to  fair  England, 
To  serve  for  meat  and  fee. 

2  But  it  was  not  for  meat  and  fee 

That  Willie  hied  him  there ; 
But  for  his  love  to  Oliphant, 
Of  beauty  bright  and  rare. 

3  Now,  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day, 

That  Oliphant  thought  lang; 
And  she  went  on  to  good  greenwood, 
As  fast  as  she  cou'd  gang. 

4  Willie  he  stood  in  his  chamber  door, 

In  a  love-musing  mood, 
And  spy'd  fair  Lady  Oliphant, 
As  she  hied  to  the  wood. 


64  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


5  He  took  his  bow  and  arrows  keen, 

His  sword  baith  braid  and  lang ; 
And  he  is  on  to  good  greenwood, 
As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang. 

6  And  there  he  found  fair  Oliphant, 

Asleep  beneath  a  tree ; 
But  up  she  started  at  his  step, 
And  thus  in  fear  cry'd  she : 

7  "  Hold  away  from  me,  young  man, 

Hold  far  away  from  me ; 
I  fear  you  are  some  false  young  knight. 
Beguiles  young  ladies  free." 

8  "I  am  not  such  a  false  young  knight 

As  you  fear  me  to  be ; 
I  am  young  Willie  of  Douglas-dale, 
And  dearly  I  love  thee." 

9  "  If  you  are  Willie  of  Douglas-dale, 

Your  love  is  dear  to  me, 
For  oft  I  think,  and  in  my  sleep 
Full  oft  I  dream  of  thee." 

10  But  the  cocks  they  crew,  and  the  horns  blew, 

And  herds  lowed  on  the  hill ; 
And  Willie  he  hied  him  back  again. 
Unto  his  daily  toil. 

11  Sae  likewise  did  fair  Oliphant, 

To  her  book  and  her  seam ; 
But  little  she  read,  and  little  she  sewed. 
For  love  was  her  day-dream. 

12  Then  it  fell  ance  upon  a  night, 

Young  Willie  he  thought  lang ; 
And  he  went  on  to  Oliphant's  bow'r, 
As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang. 

13  "  Oh,  are  you  asleep,  fair  Oliphant? 

Oh,  are  you  asleep  ?  "  cried  he ; 
"  Oh,  waken,  waken.  Oliphant, 
Oh,  waken  and  speak  to  me." 

14  "  Oh,  much  I  do  fear  me,  dear  Willie, 

Oh,  much  I  fear,"  said  she ; 
"  If  my  father  or  his  knights  do  hear, 
By  them  you  slain  shall  be." 


THE  EARL  OF  DOUGLAS.  .  65 


15  "  0  Oliphant,  dear  Oliphant, 

A  king's  daughter  are  ye ; 
But  would  you  leave  your  father's  court, 
To  live  and  die  with  me?  " 

16  "  Oh,,  I  would  leave  my  father's  court, 

Let  weal  or  woe  betide ; 
For  I  could  range  the  warld  o'er, 
If  you  were  by  my  side." 

17  She  took  a  web  of  scarlet  cloth, 

And  tore  it  fine  and  small ; 
Then  plaited  it  both  long  and  strong, 
To  let  her  down  the  wall. 

18  She  lower'd  herself  in  Willie's  arms, 

Adown  the  castle  wall ; 
And  Willie  was  wight  and  well  able 
To  save  her  from  a  fall. 

19  But  the  cocks  they  crew,  and  the  horns  blew, 

And  herds  low'd  on  the  hill, 
As  Willie's  lady  follow'd  him 
Tho'  her  tears  trickl'd  still. 

20  They  lived  together  in  good  greenwood 

Some  nine  months  and  a  day, 
When  Willie  to  fair  Oliphant 
Thus  lovingly  did  say  : 

21  "  Oh,  want  ye  ribbons  to  your  hair, 

Or  roses  to  your  shoon? 
Or  want  ye  chains  about  your  neck? 
You'll  get  mair  when  they're  done.** 

22  "  I  want  not  ribbons  to  my  hair, 

Nor  roses  to  my  shoon ; 
And  there  are  mair  chains  about  my  neck? 
Than  ever  I'll  see  done." 

23  "  Will  ye  gae  to  the  cards  or  dice? 

Or  to  the  table  play? 
Or  to  a  bed  sae  well  down-spread. 
And  sleep  till  it  be  day?" 

24  "  I've  mair  need  of  the  rodens,  Willie, 

That  grow  on  yonder  thorn ; 
Likewise  a  drink  of  spring  water, 
Out  of  your  grass-green  horn. 
F 


66  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


25  "  I've  mair  need  of  a  fire,  Willie, 

To  heat  my  sbivering  frame ; 
Likewise  a  glass  of  good  red  wine, 
Ere  your  young  son  come  hame." 

26  He  got  a  bush  of  rodens  till  her. 

That  grew  on  yonder  thorn ; 

Likewise  a  drink  of  spring  water, 

Out  of  his  grass-green  horn. 

27  He  carried  the  match  in  his  pocket. 

That  kindled  to  her  the  fire, 
Well  set  about  with  oaken  spails, 
That  leam'd  o'er  Lincolnshire. 

28  And  he  has  brought  to  his  lady 

A  glass  of  good  red  wine ; 
And  he  has  likewise  brought  to  her 
A  loaf  of  white  bread  fine. 

29  The  milk  that  he  milk'd  frae  the  goats. 

He  fed  his  young  son  on ; 
Thus  he  did  tend  and  serve  them  baith, 
In  greenwood  all  alone. 

SO    Till  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day, 
Fair  Oliphant  did  plaine : 
"  Oh,  if  you  have  a  place,  Willie, 
I  pray  you  have  me  hame." 

31  He  took  his  young  son  in  his  arms. 

When  Oliphant  grew  Strang; 
And  they  went  on  through  good  greenwood, 
As  fast  as  they  cou'd  gang. 

32  They  journey'd  on  through  good  greenwood, 

They  journey'd  northward  on, 

Till  they  came  to  a  shepherd  May, 

Was  feeding  her  flocks  alone. 

33  The  lady  said — "  My  bonnie  May, 

If  you  will  come  with  me. 
And  carry  my  young  son  in  your  arras, 
Kewarded  you  will  be. 

34  "  The  gowns  were  shapen  for  my  wear, 

They  shall  be  sewed  for  thee, 
And  you  will  get  a  braw  Scotsman 
Your  husband  for  to  be." 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND   FAIR  JANET.  G7 


35  When  they  came  on  to  Willie's  yetts, 

Beyond  the  Solway  sea, 
The  news  of  their  arrival  spread 
Like  wild  fire  o'er  the  lea. 

36  Then  many  a  stout  and  stalwart  knight, 

And  many  a  stately  dame, 
The  lord  and  lady  of  Douglas-dale 
With  joy  did  welcome  hame. 

37  And  many  a  bold  and  warlike  youth, 

And  many  a  maiden  fair, 
The  lord  and  lady  of  Douglas-dale 
Right  gaily  welcomed  there. 

38  The  bonnie  May  they  brought  with  them, 

She  got  a  braw  Scots  man ; 
And  the  children  that  her  lady  bare,. 
She  nursed  them  every  one. 

39  Earl  Willie  and  fair  Oliphant 

Lang  happy  lived,  I  ween. 
Ere  in  the  kirk  of  sweet  Saint  Brid« 
Their  graves  grew  iresh  and  green. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND  FAIR  JANET. 

The  works  in  which,  and  the  titles  under  which,  versions  of  this 
ballad  have  appeared,  are — 

L  Herd,  vol.   L,   p.    162;   under  the  title  of  "Willie    and 

Annet." 
II.  Finlay,  vol.  ii.,  p.  61  ;  under  the  title  of  "  Sweet  Willie," 
where  it  is  said  to  be  made  up  from  different  copies  and 
fragments.  It  contains  eleven  stanzas,  taken  verbally 
from  Herd's  version,  live  slightly  different,  leaves  out 
three,  and  adds  ten. 

III.  Sharpe's  Ballad  Book,   p.   1 ;    under  the  title   of  "  Fair 

Janet."  "  Is  printed  as  it  was  sung  by  an  old  woman  in 
Perthshire.     The  air  is  extremely  beautiful." — C.  K.  S. 

IV.  Buchan,  vol.  i,,  p.  97  ;  under  the  title  of  "  Sweet  Willie  and 

Fair  Maisry."  Mr.  Buchan  states  that  "Mr.  Findlay," 
notwithstanding  "  all  his  painful  industry,  came  far  short 
of  completing  or  perfecting  the  ballad." 

Motherwell,  Minstrelsy,  p.  139,  copied  Sharpe's  version,  inserting 

[in  brackets]  three  stanzas  from  Herd,  here  numbered  51,  53,  and  56. 

The  ballad,  as  here  printed,  is  compiled  from  the  four  versions  above 


08  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

named,  and  contains  120  lines  more  than  Finlay's,  and  eighty-eight 
lines  more  than  Motherwell's  extended  version. 

Both  this  and  the  following  ballad,  "  Lady  Maisry,"  are  supposed 
to  be  derived  from  the  Danish,  and  to  owe  their  origin  to  the  tragic 
story  of  "King  Waldemar  and  his  Sister;"  which  "appears  to  oe 
founded  on  facts  which  occurred  during  the  reign  and  in  the  family  of 
the  Danish  king,  sometime  between  1157  and  1167."  There  are 
numerous  Danish,  Swedish,  Norse,  Icelandic,  Faroish,  and  German 
versions  of  the  ballad.  The  journey  on  horsetsack  and  the  dance  are 
the  incidents  which  are  regarded  as  connecting  "  Sweet  Willie  and 
Fair  Janet"  with  the  Scandinavian  ballad,  in  which  particulars  it 
follows  or  is  related  to  the  Icelandic  and  Faroish  versions;  while 
"Lady  Maisry,"  the  ballad  which  follows  this,  more  closely  resembles 
the  Danish  and  other  versions  above  referred  to. 

See  Professor  Child's  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  78 
and  p.  86. 

1  "  Ye  maun  gang  to  your  father,  Janet, 

Ye  maun  gang  to  him  sune ; 
Ye  maun  gang  to  your  father,  Janet, 
In  case  that  his  days  are  dune ! " 

2  Janet 's  awa  to  her  father, 

As  fast  as  she  could  hie ; 
"  Oh,  what 's  your  will  with  me,  father? 
Oh,  what 's  your  will  with  me  ?  " 

3  "  My  will  with  you,  fair  Janet,"  he  said, 

"  It  is  both  bed  and  board ; 
Some  say  that  ye  lo'e  sweet  Willie, 
But  ye  maun  wed  a  French  lord." 

4  "A  French  lord  maun  I  wed,  father, 

A  French  lord  maun  I  wed? 
Then,  by  my  sooth,"  quo'  fair  Janet, 
"  He  's  ne'er  enter  my  bed. 

5  "  Hey,  love  Willie,  and  how,  love  Willie, 

And  Willie  my  love  shall  be; 
They  think  to  sinder  our  love,  Willie, 
But  I'll  love  you  till  I  dee." 

6  "  Now,  will  you  marry  this  French  lord. 

And  with  him  cross  the  sea? 
Or  Avill  you  mourn  for  sweet  Willie 
The  morn  upon  yon  lea?" 

7  "  Oh,  I  may  marry  this  French  lord, 

And  bend  me  to  your  will ; 
But  I'd  rather  it  were  my  burial  day. 
And  my  grave  I  went  till." 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND   FAIR  JANET.  69 


8  Janet 's  awa  to  her  chamber, 

As  fast  as  she  could  go ; 
Wha  's  the  first  ane  that  tapp'd  there, 
But  sweet  Willie,  her  jo ! 

9  "Oh,  we  maun  part  this  love,  Willie, 

Tho'  dear  aboon  all  thing ; 
There 's  a  French  lord  coming  o'er  the  sea 
To  wed  me  with  a  ring. 

10  "  There 's  a  French  lord  coming  o'er  the  sea, 

To  wed  and  take  me  hame. 
And  my  father  says,  I  maun  him  wed, 
And  with  him  cross  the  faem." 

11  "If  we  maun  part  this  love,  Janet, 

It  will  cause  me  meikle  woe ; 
If  we  maun  part  this  love,  Janet, 
Through  life  I'll  mourning  go." 

12  "  Now,  Willie,  if  you  love  me  weel. 

As  sae  it  seems  to  me. 
Gar  build,  gar  build  a  bonnie  ship, 
Gar  build  it  speedilie ! 

13  "  And  we  will  sail  the  sea  sae  green. 

Unto  some  far  countrie ; 
Or  sail  unto  some  bonnie  isle. 
Stands  lanely  midst  the  sea." 

14  But  lang  or  ere  the  ship  was  built. 

Or  deck'd  or  weel  rigg'd  out, 

Came  sic  a  pain  in  Janet's  back. 

That  down  she  couldna  lout. 

15  "  Now,  Willie,  if  ye  love  me  weel. 

As  sae  it  seems  to  me. 
Oh,  haste  and  take  me  to  my  bow'r, 
In  yonder  greenwood  free. 

16  "  O  Willie,  mount  me  on  a  steed, 

A  milk-white  steed  or  gray ; 
And  to  my  bow'r  in  yon  greenwood 
Take  me  ere  it  be  day. 

17  "  Then  gang  ye  to  your  sisters  three, 

Meg,  Marion,  and  Jean ; 
And  bid  them  come  to  fair  Janet, 
At  her  bow'r  in  yon  green." 


70  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


18  He  mounted  her  upon  a  steed, 

Upon  a  steed  of  gray, 
And  to  her  bow'r  in  good  greenwood 
Ta'en  her  ere  it  was  day, 

19  He 's  ta'en  her  in  his  arms  twa, 

And  kiss'd  her  cheek  and  chin, 
And  laid  her  in  her  ain  sweet  bow'r, 
But  nae  bow'r-maid  was  in. 

20  Then  hied  he  to  his  sisters  three, 

Meg,  Marion,  and  Jean ; 
Said — "  Haste,  and  gang  to  fair  Janet, 
At  her  bow'r  in  yon  green. 

21  "  Oh,  haste,  and  gang  to  fair  Janet, 

Dress  and  gang  to  her  sune ; 
Oh,  haste,  and  gang  to  fair  Janet, 
I  tear  her  days  are  dune." 

22  They  drew  to  them  their  silken  hose. 

They  drew  to  them  their  shoon; 
They  drew  to  them  their  silk  mantels, 
And  quickly  put  them  on : 

23  And  they  hied  awa  to  fair  Janet, 

By  the  ae  light  of  the  mune  ; 
But  yet  for  all  the  haste  they  made. 
They  came  iia  there  ower  sune. 

2-1     For  when  they  came  to  fair  Janet's  bow'r. 
In  the  greenwood  fair  and  free. 
They  found  fair  Janet  sitting  there. 
With  her  young  son  on  her  knee. 

25  "  Come  in,  come  in  now,  sweet  Willie, 

Take  your  young  son  frae  me, 
And  bear  him  to  your  mother's  bow'r 
With  speed  and  privacie. 

26  "  Oh,  I  have  born  this  babe,  Willie, 

With  meikle  toil  and  pain ; 
Take  hame,  take  hame  your  babe,  Willie, 
For  nurse  I  dare  be  nane." 

'  27     He  's  ta'en  his  young  son  in  his  arms, 
And  kiss'd  him  cheek  and  chin; 
And  he  is  to  his  mother's  bow'r 
As  fast  as  he  could  rin. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND   FAIB  JANET.  71 


2S     "  Oh,  open,  open,  mother,"  he  says, 
"  Oh,  open,  and  let  me  in ; 
The  rain  rains  on  my  yellow  hair, 
And  the  dew  drops  o'er  my  chin* 

29     "  Oh,  open,  open,  mother,"  he  says, 
"  Oh,  open  the  door  to  me ; 
Oh,  open,  and  take  my  young  son  in, 
And  get  him  nurses  three." 

oO     She  open'd  the  door  to  Willie,  her  son, 
She  open'd  and  let  him  in ; 
And  she  took  his  babe  up  in  her  arms, 
And  kiss'd  him  cheek  and  chin. 

31  "  Gae  back,  gae  back  now,  sweet  Willie, 

And  to  comfort  your  lady  strive ; 

For  where  ye  had  but  a  single  nurse^ 

Your  young  son  shall  ha'e  five." 

32  He  hied  awa  frae  his  mother's  bow'r, 

And  to  fair  Janet's  he  came: 
Then  lifted  her  up  in  his  arms  twa, 
And  safely  carried  her  hame. 

33  He  carried  fair  Janet  safely  hatoe, 

Atid  laid  her  safely  in  bed ; 
Then  stole  awa  frae  her  father's  towers 
With  saft  and  stealthy  tread. 

34  Then  in  there  came  her  father  dear, 

Well  belted  with  a  brand; 
"  It 's  nae  time  for  brides  to  lye  in  bed, 
When  the  bridegroom  is  at  hand." 

35  "  There  's  a  sair  pain  in  my  head,  father^ 

There  's  a  sair  pain  in  my  side; 
And  ill,  oh,  ill  am  I,  father, 
This  day  for  to  be  a  bride." 

36  "  Oh,  ye  maun  busk  this  bonnie  bride, 

And  put  a  gay  mantle  on; 
For  she  shall  wed  this  auld  French  lord, 
Tho'  she  should  die  the  morn." 

37  In  came  fair  Janet's  mother  dear, 

And  she  spake  out  with  pride — 
"Oh,  where  are  all  our  bridesmaidens? 
They're  no  busking  the  bride." 


72  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


38  "  Oh,  haud  your  tongue,  my  mother  dear, 

Your  speaking  let  it  be, 
For  I'm  sae  fair  and  full  of  flesh. 
Little  busking  will  serve  me." 

39  Out  then  spake  the  bride's  maidens, 

And  they  spake  out  with  pride — 
"  Oh,  where  is  all  the  fine  deeding? 
It 's  we  maun  busk  the  bride." 

40  "  Deal  hooly  with  my  head,  maidens, 

Deal  hooly  with  my  hair. 
For  it  was  washen  late  yestreen, 
And  it  is  wonder  sair. 

41  "  My  maidens,  easy  with  my  back, 

And  easy  with  my  side; 
And  set  my  saddle  saft,  WiUie, 
I  am  a  tender  bride." 

42  Some  put  on  the  gay  green  robes, 

And  some  put  on  the  brown ; 
But  Janet  put  on  the  scarlet  robes, 
To  shine  foremost  through  the  town. 

43  And  some  they  mounted  the  black  steed, 

And  some  mounted  the  brown ; 
But  Janet  mounted  the  milk-white  steed, 
To  ride  foremost  .through  the  town. 

44  "  Oh,  wha  will  guide  your  horse,  Janet? 

Oh,  wha  will  guide  him  best  ?  " 
"  Oh,  wha  but  Willie,  my  true  love  ! 
I  ken  he  lo'es  me  best." 

45  And  when  they  came  to  Marie's  kirk, 

To  tie  the  holy  ban', 
The  colour  fled  fair  Janet's  cheeks, 
And  they  look'd  deathly  wan. 

46  When  dinner  it  was  past  and  done, 

And  dancing  to  begin, — 
"  Oh,  we'll  go  take  the  bride's  maidens," 
And  we'll  go  fill  the  ring." 

47  Oh,  ben  then  came  the  auld  French  lord, 

Says — "  Bride,  come  dance  with  me !  " 
"  Awa,  awa,  ye  auld  French  lord, 
Your  face  I  downa*  see." 

•"Downa"  means,  generally,  inability;   but  also,  sometlnieR,  as  here,  want   of 
inclination,  or  repugnance. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND  FAIR  JANET.  73 


48  Oh,  ben  then  came  now  sweet  William, 

He  came  with  ane  advance ; 
"  Oh,  I'll  gae  take  the  bride's  maidens. 
And  we'll  gae  take  a  dance." 

49  "  I've  seen  other  days  with  you,  Willie, 

And  sae  ha'e  mony  mae, 
Ye  wou'd  ha'e  danced  with  me  yoursell, 
Let  all  my  maidens  gae." 

50  Oh,  up  then  spake  now  sweet  Willie, 

Saying — "Bride,  will  ye  dance  with  me?" 
"  Ay,  by  my  sooth,  and  that  I  will, 
Tho'  my  back  break  in  three  ! " 

61     And  she 's  ta'en  Willie  by  the  hand. 
The  tear  blinded  her  e'e : 
"  Oh,  I  wou'd  dance  with  my  true  love, 
The'  burst  my  heart  in  three  !  " 

52     She  hadna  turn'd  her  through  the  dance, 
Through  the  dance  but  thrice, 
When  she  fell  down  at  Willie's  feet, 
And  up  did  never  rise ! 

63     She  's  ta'en  her  bracelet  frae  her  arm. 
Her  garter  frae  her  knee, — 
"  Gi'e  that,  gi'e  that  to  my  young  son, 
He'll  ne'er  his  mother  see." 

54  Willie 's  ta'en  the  key  of  his  coffer, 

And  gi'en  it  to  his  man, — 
"  Gae  hame  and  tell  my  mother  dear, 
My  horse  he  has  me  slain. 

55  "  Bid  her  be  kind  to  my  young  son, 

For  they'll  ne'er  see  me  again ; 
Bid  her  be  kind  to  my  young  son, 
For  father  he  has  nane. 

56  "  Gar  deal,  gar  deal  the  bread,"  he  cried, 

"  Gar  deal,  gar  deal  the  wine ; 
This  day  has  seen  my  true  love's  death. 
This  night  shall  witness  mine." 

57  The  ane  was  buried  in  Marie's  kirk, 

And  the  ither  in  Mary's  quier ; 
Out  of  the  ane  there  grew  a  birk. 
And  the  ither  a  bonnie  brier.* 

*  See  note,  p.  32. 


74  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


LADY  MAISRY. 

"  This  excellent  old  ballad  is,"  says  Motherwell,  "  very  popular  in 
many  parts  of  Scotland. " — Minstrelsy,  p.  71. 

It  first  appeared  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  73, 
where  it  is  "given  verbatim,  as  taken  down  from  the  recitation  of 
Mrs.  Arrott,"  pp.  66  and  59.  Portions  of  another  version  appeared 
in  the  ScoVs  Magazine,  June,  1822. 

Motherwell's  Minstrelsy  contains  other  two  different  versions — viz., 
* '  Lady  Marjorie, "  p.  234,  and  "  Bonnie  Susie  Cleland,"  p.  221.  Which 
latter  follows  the  present  collated  version. 

Buchan  furnishes  yet  another,  named  "Young  Prince  James." — 
Andent  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  L,  p.  103. 

Jamieson's  version  is  the  one  here  chiefly  followed ;  but  a  few 
stanzas  and  some  emendations  have  been  adopted  from  "Lady 
Marjorie"  and  "  Young  Prince  James." 

For  the  probable  origin  of  the  ballad,  see  introduction  to  the  one 
preceding  this.  The  present  ballad  preserves  the  relationship  of  the 
principal  actors,  sister  and  brother,  and  the  death  of  the  former  at  the 
hands  of  the  latter ;  but  the  manner  in  which  the  sister  suffers  death 
differs,  as  in  the  Danish,  Swedish,  and  German  ballads  she  is  said  to 
be  beaten  to  death  with  leathern  whips. 

See  Old  Danish  Ballads,  translated  from  Grimms^  Collection  by  an 
Amateur,  p.  90.     8vo.     London,  1856. 

Motherwell's  version,  "  Lady  Marjorie,"  opens  thus — 

"Lady  Marjorie  was  her  mother's  only  daughter, 
Her  father's  only  heir; 
And  she  is  awa  to  .Strawberry  Castle. 
To  get  some  imco  lair." 

1  The  young  lords  of  the  North  Country 

Have  all  a- wooing  gane, 
To  win  the  love  of  Lady  Maisry ; 
But  of  them  she  wou'd  ha'e  nane. 

2  Oh,  they  ha'e  sought  her,  Lady  Maisry, 

With  broaches  and  with  rings ; 
And  they  ha'e  courted  her,  Lady  Maisry, 
With  all  kind  of  things. 

3  And  they  ha'e  sought  her,  Lady  Maisry, 

Frae  father  and  frae  mither; 
And  they  ha'e  sought  her,  Lady  Maisry, 
Frae  sister  and  frae  brither. 

4  And  they  ha'e  followed  her,  Lady  Maisry, 

Through  chamber  and  through  ha' ; 
But  all  that  they  could  say  to  her, 
Her  answer  still  was  "  Na." 


LADY  MAISRY.  75 


5  "  Oh,  baud  your  tongues,  young  men,"  she  said, 

"  And  think  nae  mair  on  me ; 
For  I've  gi'en  my  love  to  an  English  lord ; 
Sae  think  nae  mair  on  me." 

6  But  word  has  to  her  father  gane, 

And  word  unto  her  mother  ; 

And  word  unto  her  sister  gane, 

And  word  unto  her  brother. 

7  'Twas  whisper'd  here,  'twas  whisper'd  there — 

111  news  aye  travels  soon — 
That  Lady  Maisry  gaes  with  bairn 
Unto  an  English  loon. 

8  When  her  brother  heard  word  of  this, 

An  angry  man  was  he : 
"  A  malison  light  on  the  tongue 
Sic  tidings  tells  to  me ! 

9  "A  malison  light  on  the  tongue, 

Tho'  true  the  tale  may  be  ; 
But  if  it  be  a  lie  you  tell, 

It 's  you  shall  be  hang'd  hie." 

10  He 's  done  him  to  his  sister's  bow¥, 

With  meikle  dool  and  care ; 
And  there  he  saw  Lady  Maisry 
Combing  her  yellow  hair. 

11  "  Oh,  wha  is  aucht  that  bairn,"  he  says, 

"  And  brought  this  shame  on  thee  ? 
And  if  ye  winna  own  the  truth, 
This  moment  ye  shall  dee." 

12  She 's  turn'd  her  right  and  round  about, 

And  the  comb  fell  frae  her  ban' ; 
A  trembling  seized  her  fair  bodie. 
And  her  rosy  cheek  grew  wan. 

13  "  Oh,  pardon  me,  my  brother  dear, 

And  the  truth  I'll  tell  to  thee  ; 
My  bairn  it  is  to  Lord  William, 
And  he  is  betroth'd  to  me." 

14  "  Oh,  couldna  ye  gotten  dukes  or  lords, 

Intil  your  ain  countrie, 
That  ye  drew  up  with  an  English  dog, 
To  bring  this  shame  on  me  ? 


76  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


15  "  But  ye  maun  gi'e  up  your  English  lord 

When  your  young  babe  is  born; 
For  if  ye  langer  keep  by  him, 
Your  life  shall  bo,  forlorn. 

16  "  I'll  cause  my  men  build  up  a  fire, 

And  tie  you  to  a  stake ; 
And  on  the  head  of  yon  high  tower 
I'll  burn  you  for  his  sake." 

17  "  I  will  gi'e  up  this  English  lord. 

Till  my  young  babe  is  born  ; 
But  the  never  a  day  nor  hour  langer, 
Though  my  life  should  be  forlorn." 

18  "  Oh,  where  are  all  my  merry  young  men 

Whom  I  gi'e  meat  and  fee, 
To  pull  the  bracken  and  the  thorn, 
To  burn  this  vile  ladye?" 

19  "  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  bonnie  boy 

To  help  me  in  my  need, 
To  rin  with  haste  to  Lord  William, 
And  bid  him  come  with  speed  ?  " 

20  Oh,  out  it  spake  a  bonnie  boy. 

Stood  by  her  brother's  side ; 
"  It 's  I  would  rin  your  errand,  lady. 
O'er  all  the  world  wide. 

21  "  Oft  ha'e  I  run  your  errands,  lady, 

When  blawin'  baith  wind  and  weet; 
But  now  I'll  rin  your  errand,  lady, 
With  saut  tears  on  my  cheek." 

22  Oh,  when  he  came  to  broken  brigs, 

He  bent  his  bow  and  swam; 
And  when  he  came  to  grass  growin', 
He  slack'd  his  shoon  and  ran. 

23  And  when  he  came  to  Lord  William's  yetts, 

He  badena  to  chap  or  call ; 
But  set  his  bent  bow  to  his  breast, 

And  lightly  lap  the  wall ; 
And,  or  the  porter  was  at  the  yett, 

The  boy  was  in  the  hall. 


LADY  MAISBY.  77 


24  "  Oh,  is  my  biggin  broken,  boy? 

Or  have  my  towers  been  won  ? 
Or  is  my  lady  lighter  yet, 
Of  a  dear  daughter  or  son  ?  " 

25  "  Youp  biggin  isna  broken,  sir, 

Nor  have  your  towers  been  won; 
Nor  is  your  lady  lighter  yet, 
Of  dear  daughter  or  son. 

26  "  But  her  brother  has  gar'd  build  a  fire, 

And  tie  her  to  a  stake, 
On  the  head  of  their  highest  tower, 
To  bum  her  for  your  sake." 

27  "  Oh,  saddle  to  me  the  black,  the  black, 

Or  saddle  to  me  the  brown ; 
Or  saddle  to  me  the  swiftest  steed 
That  e'er  rade  frae  the  town." 

28  As  he  drew  nigh  unto  the  tower, 

She  heard  his  horn  blaw : 
"  Mend  up  the  fire,  my  fause  brother, 
I  mind  ye  not  a  straw." 

29  As  he  drew  nearer  to  the  tower, 

She  heard  his  war-horse  sneeze  : 
"  Mend  up  the  fire,  my  fause  brother, 
It 's  nae  come  to  my  knees." 

30  When  he  alighted  at  the  yett. 

She  heard  his  bridle  ring : 
"  Mend  up  the  fire,  my  fause  brother, 
It 's  far  yet  frae  my  chin. 

31  "  But  look  about,  my  fause  brother. 

Ye  see  not  what  I  see  ; 
For  I  see  him  comin'  hard  and  fast. 
Will  soon  mend  it  for  thee. 

32  "  Oh,  if  my  hands  had  been  loose,  Willie, 

Sae  hard  as  they  are  boun', 
I  wad  ha'e  turn'd  me  frae  the  gleed, 
And  casten  out  your  son." 

33  "  Oh,  I'll  gar  bum  for  you,  Maisry, 

Your  father  and  your  mother ; 

And  I'll  gar  burn  for  you,  Maisry, 

Your  sister  and  your  brother ; 


•^    n. 


78  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


34     "  And  I'll  gar  burn  for  you,  Maisry, 
The  chief  of  all  your  kin;* 

And  the  last  bonfire  that  I  come  to, 
Myself  I  will  cast  in  ; 

But  I'll  reward  the  pretty  boy. 
That  did  thine  errand  rin." 


BONNIE  SUSIE  CLELAND. 

First  published  by  Motherwell,  Minstrelsy,  p.  221.  He  does  not 
mention  from  whence  it  is  derived,  but  in  note  155,  p.  ci. ,  he  states, 
"  I  have  been  unable  to  trace  this  ballad  to  any  historical  source.  In 
its  subject  it  resembles  *  Lady  Maisry. ' "  (See  introduction  thereto,  p. 
74)  In  Ariosto's  Ginevra,  "it  is  mentioned  that  ladies  guilty  of 
incontinence  were,  by  the  laws  of  Scotland,  doomed  to  the  flames ; 
but  this  cruel  enactment  has  no  foundation,  we  believe,  in  the 
criminal  code  of  the  land, — at  least,  within  historic  times." 

1  There  lived  a  lady  in  Scotland, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy; 
There  lived  a  lady  in  Scotland, 

And  dearly  she  loved  me  ; 
There  lived  a  lady  in  Scotland, 

And  she 's  fallen  in  love  with  an  Englishman, 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

2  The  father  unto  the  daughter  came, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy; 
The  father  unto  the  daughter  came, 

And  dearly  she  loved  me ; 
The  father  unto  the  daughter  came, 

Saying,  "  Will  you  forsake  that  Englishman  ?  " 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

3  "  If  you  will  not  that  Englishman  forsake, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy ; 
If  you  will  not  that  Englishman  forsake, 

So  dearly  loved  by  thee ; 
If  you  will  not  that  Englishman  forsake, 

Oh,  I  will  burn  you  at  a  stake  f " 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

•The  share  taken  in  this  auto-da-fd  by  "father,"  "mother,"  and  "sister,"  as 
indicated  by  the  retribution   threatened,  appears  to  have  either  dropped  out  of 
Jamieson's  version  of  the  ballad,  or  to  have  been  added  in  Motherwell's  "  Lady 
Marjorie,"  Minstrelsy,  p.  235,  where  it  is  thus  given:— 
"  Her  father  he  put  on  the  pat, 
Her  Bister  put  on  the  pan, 
And  her  brother  lie  put  on  a  bauld,  bauld  fire, 

To  bum  Lady  Marjorie  in ; 
And  her  mother  she  sat  in  a  golden  chair. 
To  see  her  daughter  bum." 
The  mention  of  "the  pat,"  and  "the  pan,"  in  the  first  two  of  these  lines,  savours  of 
cookery:  but  there  is  no  other  reason  for  suspecting  the  family  to  be  inclined  to 
anthropophagy. 


BONNIE  SUSIE  CLELAND.  79 


4  "I  will  not  that  Englishman  forsake, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy,; 
I  will  not  that  Englishman  forsa'ke, 

Who  dearly  loveth  me ; 
I  will  not  that  Englishman  forsake, 

Though  you  should  burn  me  at  a  stake ! " 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

5  "  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  pretty  little  boy, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy ; 
Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  pretty  little  boy. 

Who  dearly  loveth  me ; 
Oh,  where  I  will  get  a  pretty  little  boy, 

Who  will  carry  tidings  to  my  joy. 
That  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee?" 

6  "  Here  am  I,  a  pretty  little  boy. 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy ; 
Here  am  I,  a  pretty  little  boy, 

Who  dearly  loveth  thee; 
Here  am  I,  a  pretty  little  boy, 

Who  will  carry  tidings  to  thy  joy. 
That  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee." 

7  "  Give  to  him  this  right  hand  glove, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy; 
Give  to  him  this  right  hand  glove, 

Who  dearly  loveth  me ; 
Give  to  him  this  right  hand  glove, 

Tell  him  to  get  another  love, 
For  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

8  "  Give  to  him  this  little  pen-knife. 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy; 
Give  to  him  this  little  pen-knife, 

Who  dearly  loveth  me ; 
Give  to  him  this  little  pen-knife, 

Tell  him  to  get  another  wife. 
For  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee. 

9  "  Give  to  him  this  gay  gold  ring, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joy; 
Give  to  him  this  gay  gold  ring. 

Who  dearly  loveth  me ; 
Give  to  him  this  gay  gold  ring. 

Tell  him  I'm  going  to  my  burning. 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  is  to  be  burnt  at  Dundee.* 


80  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


10    Her  father  lie  ca'd  up  the  stake, 

Hey,  my  love,  and  ho,  my  joj^; 
Her  father  he  ca'd  up  the  stake, 

So  dearly  she  loved  me ; 
Her  father  he  ca'd  up  the  stake, 

Her  brother  he  the  fire  did  make, 
And  bonnie  Susie  Cleland  was  burnt  in  Dundee. 


LORD  INGEAM  AND  CHILDE  VYET. 

First  appeared,  in  an  imperfect  state,  under  the  title  of  "  Lord 
Wa'yates  and  Auld  Ingram,"  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii., 
p.  265 ;  and  then,  in  a  more  complete  form,  in  Maidment's  North 
Countrie  Garland,  p.  24.  The  same  gentleman  contributed  a  slightly 
different  copy  to  Motherwell's  Mimtrelm/,  p.  173 ;  and  a  longer 
version,  containing  a  number  of  inferior  stanzas,  is  given  by  Buchan, 
Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  &c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  234. 

Jamieson's  version  was  printed  "  from  Herd's  MS.,  [as]  transmitted 
by  Mr.  [afterwards  Sir  Walter]  Scott. "  In  it  the  rivals  are  repre- 
sented to  be  uncle  and  nephew  ;  while  the  incongruity  and  incompati- 
bility of  the  marriage  are  fully  aad  graphically  exhibited  in  the 
following  stanzas : — 

"  When  e'en  was  come,  and  e'en  Tjells  rung, 
And  a'  men  gane  to  bed, 
The  bride  but  and  the  silly  bridegroom 
In  ae  chamber  were  laid. 

"  Wasna  't  a  fell  thing  for  to  see 
Twa  heads  upon  ae  cod, — 
Lady  Maisry's  like  the  molten  goud, 
Auld  Ingram's  like  a  toad  ? 

"  He  tum'd  his  face  unto  the  stock, 
And  sound  he  fell  asleep; 
She  turn'd  her  face  unto  the  wa'. 
And  saut  tears  she  did  weep." 

Maidment's  version  is  the  one  here  generally  followed ;  but 
some  half-dozen  stanzas  of  it  have  been  omitted;  while  fifteen 
stanzas  or  so  have  been  added  from  the  other  versions — mostly  from 
Buchan's,  as,  for  instance,  stanzas  27  to  35  inclusive, — while  many  of 
the  others  are,  with  the  exception  of  slight  verbal  differences,  common 
to  both  versions.  It  will  be  seen  that,  by  leaving  out  stanzas  27  to  35, 
the  story  reads  as  if  Childe  Vyet  had  concealed  himself  in  the  bridal 
chamber,  and  that  the  bloody  tragedy  had  been  there  enacted, — thus 
imparting  a  cast  to  the  story  resembling  in  some  respects  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  "  Bride  of  Lammermoor. " 

Stanzas  12  and  13  occur  in  the  preceding  ballad,  "  Lady  Maisry  " 
(stanzas  22  and  23),  where  they  are  followed  by  other  two  (stanzas 
24  and  25),  which  are  almost  identical  with  two  stanzas  in  "  Lord 
Wa'yates  and  Auld  Ingram,"  as  given  by  Jamieson. 


LORD   INGRAM  AND   CHILDE  VYET.  81 


In  the  copy  famished  to  Motherwell,  the  last  word  of  the  first 
stanza  reads  "  bonheur,"  from  which  "  circumstance  "  Mr.  Maidment 
conjectures  that  the  ballad  "may  probably  have  had  a  French 
original." 

This  ballad  may  be  compared  with  "  Ebbe  Skammelson,"  as  trans- 
lated by  Mr.  Robert  Buchanan,  in  Ballad  Stories  of  the  Affectionn, 
from  the  Scandinavian,  p.  31 ;  and  with  the  somewhat  comic  ballad, 
entitled  "  Sir  John,"  as  given  in  Old  Danish  Ballads^  translated  from 
Grimms'  Collection,  p.  117. 

1  Lord  Ingram  and  Childe  Vyet 

Were  both  born  in  one  bow'r, 
Laid  both  their  loves  on  one  ladyj 
The  less  was  their  honour. 

2  Lord  Ingram  and  Childe  Vyet 

Were  both  bred  in  one  hall, 
Laid  both  their  loves  on  one  ladyj 
The  worse  did  them  befall. 

3  Lord  Ingram  woo'd  Lady  Maisry 

From  father  and  from  mother ; 

Lord  Ingram  woo'd  Lady  Maisry 

From  sister  and  from  brother. 

4  Lord  Ingram  woo'd  Lady  Maisry 

With  leave  of  all  her  kin ; 
But  Childe  Vyet  woo'd  Lady  Maisry, 
And  her  love  he  did  win, 

o     Now,  it  fell  out  upon  a  day, 
She  was  dressing  her  head, 
That  ben  did  come  her  father  dear. 
Wearing  the  gold  so  red. 

6  "  Get  up  now,  Lady  Maisry, 

Put  on  your  wedding  gown: 
Lord  Ingram  you  must  wed  this  day. 
Before  the  sun  go  down ! " 

7  "  I'd  rather  be  Childe  Vyet's  wife, 

The  white  fish  for  to  sell. 
Before  I'd  be  Lord  Ingram's  wife, 
To  wear  the  silks  so  well ! 

8  "  I'd  rather  be  Childe  Vyet's  wife, 

With  him  to  beg  my  bread, 
Before  I'd  be  Lord  Ingram's  wife, 
To  wear  the  gold  so  red." 
G 


82  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


9     Her  father  turn'd  him  round  about, 
And  solemnly  sware  he — • 
"  It 's  you  shall  be  the  bride  ere  night, 
And  he  bridegroom  shall  be." 

10  "  Where  will  I  get  a  bonnie  boy 

Will  win  gold  to  his  fee ; 
Will  run  unto  Childe  Vyet's  hall 
With  this  letter  from  me?" 

11  Out  spake  a  boy — "  Oh,  here  am  I, 

Will  win  gold  to  my  fee, 
And  run  unto  Childe  Vyet's  hall 
With  any  letter  from  thee." 

12  And  when  he  found  the  bridges  broke, 

He  bent  his  bow  and  swam ; 
And  when  he  found  the  grass  growing, 
He  hasten'd  and  he  ran. 

13  And  when  he  came  to  Vyet's  castle, 

He  did  not  knock  nor  call ; 
But  set  his  bent  bow  to  his  breast, 

And  lightly  leap'd  the  wall ; 
And,  ere  the  porter  open'd  the  gate, 

The  boy  was  in  the  hall. 

14  The  first  line  that  Childe  Vyet  read, 

A  tear  did  dim  his  e'e ; 
The  next  word  that  Childe  Vyet  read, 
An  angry  man  was  he. 

15  He  dang  the  board  up  with  his  foot, 

So  did  he  with  his  knee ; 
The  silver  cup  that  was  on  it. 
In  the  fire  he  made  it  flee. 

16  "  What  ails  my  brother,  Lord  Ingram, 

He'll  not  let  my  love  be? 
What  ails  my  brother,  Lord  Ingram, 
He  takes  my  love  from  me? 

17  "  Take  four-and-twenty  buck  and  roe. 

And  ten  tun  of  the  wine, 
And  bid  my  love  be  blithe  and  glad, 
And  I  will  follow  syne." 

18  Sweetly  play'd  the  merry  organ 

Into  her  mother's  bow'r ; 
But  silent  stood  Lady  Maisry, 
And  let  the  tears  down  pour. 


LORD  INGRAM  AND   CHILDE  VTET.  83 


19  ,  Sweetly  play'd  the  harp  sae  fine, 

Into  her  father's  hall; 
But  silent  stood  Lady  Maisry, 
And  let  the  tears  down  fall. 

20  Her  noble  kinsmen  gather'd  were, 

Each  with  a  hawk  in  hand ; 
And  every  lady  in  the  place 
Did  wear  a  gay  garland. 

21  And  each  of  the  retainers 

In  gay  attire  was  clad ; 
And  all  were  blithe  and  merry, 
But  Lady  Maisry  sad. 

22  'Tween  Marykirk  and  that  castle 

Was  all  spread  o'er  with  garl,* 
To  keep  the  bride  and  her  bridesmaids 
From  tramping  on  the  marl. 

23  From  Marykirk  to  that  castle 

Was  spread  a  cloth  of  gold, 
To  keep  the  bride  and  her  bridesmaids 
From  treading  on  the  mold. 

24  When  mass  was  sung,  and  bells  were  rung, 

And  all  in  bed  were  laid, 
Lord  Ingram  to  Lady  Maisry  sajd — 
"  I  fear  you  are  no  maid. 

25  "  But  if  you  father  your  bairn  on  me, 

And  on  no  other  man. 
Then  I  will  give  him  to  his  dowry 
Full  fifty  ploughs  of  land." 

26  "  I  will  not  father  my  bairn  on  you, 

Nor  on  no  wrongous  man, 
Tho'  you  wou'd  give  him  to  his  dowry 
Five  thousand  ploughs  of  land." 

27  "  Whoever  be  your  bairn's  father, 

If  you  father  it  on  me, 
The  fairest  castle  of  Snowdown 
Your  morning  gift  shall  be." 

*  Should  either  read  "garel" — a  stripe  of  soft  grass  on  barren  or  hard  mountain- 
land,  from  "gare,"  or  "gair,"  a  stripe  or  streali — or  "harle,"  the  reed  or  stem  of 
flax;  i.e.,  either  fine  grass  or  flax  reeds  were  strewn  along  the  pathway. 


84  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


28  "  Whoever  be  my  bairn's  father, 

I'll  ne'er  father  it  on  thee ; 
For  better  I  love  my  bairn's  father 
Nor  ever  I'll  love  thee." 

29  Then  he 's  ta'en  out  a  trusty  brand, 

Laid  it  between  them  twae ; 
Saj's — "  Lye  ye  there,  ye  ill  woman, 
A  maid  for  me  till  day." 

30  Next  morning  forth  Lord  Ingram  went. 

Well  belted  with  a  brand ; 

And  forth  fair  Lady  Maisry  led 

To  her  father  by  the  hand. 

31  "  If  your  daughter  had  been  a  good  woman, 

As  I  thought  she  had  been, 

Cold  iron  shou'd  have  never  lain 

The  long  night  us  between." 

32  "  Ohon!  alas  !  my  daughter  dear, 

What 's  this  I  hear  of  thee? 

I  thought  no  better  woman  lived 

Within  the  north  countrie  !  " 

33  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  father  dear, 

And  cease  upbraiding  me  ; 
I  never  lov'd  Lord  Ingram, 

But  was  forced  his  bride  to  be." 

34  Then  in  there  came  him  Childe  Vyet, 

Bearing  a  naked  brand ; 
And  up  then  raise  him  Lord  Ingram, 
His  brother  to  withstand. 

35  "  Win  up,  win  up  now,  Lord  Ingram, 

Win  up  immediately; 
That  you  and  I  the  quarrel  try, 
Who  gains  the  victory." 

36  Then  forward  darted  Childe  Vyet, 

Shed  back  his  yellow  hair. 
And  gave  Lord  Ingram  to  the  heart 
A  deep  wound  and  a  sair. 

37  Then  forward  darted  Lord  Ingram, 

Shed  back  his  coal-black  hair. 
And  gave  Childe  Vyet  to  the  heart 
A  deep  wound  and  a  sair. 


KATIIERINE  JANFARIE.  85 


38  There  was  no  pity  for  tliese  two  knights, 

Whea  they  were  lying  dead; 
But  all  was  for  Lady  Maisry, 
Who  in  that  bow'r  went  mad. 

39  "  Oh,  get  to  me  a  cloak  of  cloth, 

A  staflF  of  good  hard  tree ; 
If  I  have  been  an  ill  woman, 
Sore  penance  I  shall  dree. 

40  "  If  I  have  been  an  ill  woman, 

Alas !  and  woe  is  me ; 
For  up  and  down  the  warld  wide, 
I  shall  beg  till  I  dee. 

41  "  For  ae  bit  I  beg  for  Childe  Vyet, 

For  Lord  Ingram  I'll  beg  three; 
All  for  the  honour  that  he  paid 
At  Marykirk  to  me." 


KATHERINE  JANFARIE. 


"Belongs  to  a  numerous  class  of  Danish  and  Scottish,  ballads." — 
3 aimeaoa.' a  J Uustrations  of  Nortkern  Antiquities,  p.  335. 

The  words  quoted  form  part  of  the  Tntroduction  to  "  Young  Child 
Dyring,"  translated  by  Jamiegoa  from  the  Kampe  Viser. 

The  analogous  Scotish  ballads  are  as  follows  : — 

1.   "  The  Laird  of  Laminton,"  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  first  edition. 
II.   "  '  Catherine  Janfarie,'  from  several  recited  copies,"  Scott's 
Minstrelsy,  last  edition,  vol.  iii.,  p.  122. 
IIL   "Catherine  Jaffery,"  Maidment's  North  Countrie  Garland, 

p.  34. 
IV.    "  '  Catherine  Johnstone,'  obtained  from  recitation  in  the 

West  of  Scotland,"  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  225. 
V.  "  Loch-in-var,"  Buchan's  Gleanings,  p.  74. 
VI.  "Katherine  Jaffray,"  a  fragment  of  four  stanzas,  foimd  in 
the  handwriting  of  Burns.  This  fragment  is  not  only 
2>rinted  as  a  song  of  his  composition,  and  copyright  in  it 
claimed  by  the  publisher  of  the  Aldine  edition  of  Bums's 
Poetical  Works,  18-9,  but  the  same  error  is  perpetuated 
in  all  the  subsequent  reprints  of  the  Aldine  edition ! 

Sir  Walter  Scott's  spirited  and  popular  ballad,  "  Lochinvar,"  which 
appears  in  Marmion,  is  founded  on  this  early  ballad.  The  ballad 
which  follows  next  in  order  is  also  somewhat  similar  in  incident. 


8G  b.u:lad  minstrelsy  of  Scotland. 


The  antiquity  of  this  ballad  may  be  inferred  from  the  number  of 
dififerent  versions  in  Scotish  and  Danish,  irrespective  of  the  supposed 
reference  in  "the  tenth  stanza,"  which,  says  Motherwell,  "seems  to 
contain  an  allusion  to  the  knights  of  the  round  table." 

"The  residence  of  the  lady,  and  the  scene  of  the  affray  at  her 
bridal,  is  said  by  old  people  to  have  been  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Cadden,  near  to  where  it  joins  the  Tweei  Others  say  the  skirmish 
was  fought  near  Traquair,  and  [that]  Katharine  Janfarie's  dwelling 
was  in  the  glen  about  three  miles  above  Traquair  House." — Scott's 
Minstrelsy. 

Motherwell's  version  transfers  the  scene  to  the  classic  district  of 
Cowdenknowes,  on  the  banks  of  the  Leader,  and  one  of  the  stanzas  in 
Scott's  own  version  corroborates  this  transfer.  (See  note  to  stanza 
20,  p.  88.) 

In  Scott's  first  and  Motherwell's  versions,  the  hero  is  eaid  to  be 
the  "Laird  of  Laminton,"  or  "Lamington,"  in  Clydesdale;  but  in 
Scotfs  second  version  the  successful  "lover  is  said  to  be  "  Lord 
Lauderdale,"  and  the  disappointed  rival  "  Lord  Lochinvar;"  which 
names  are  transposed  in  Maidment's  version. 

Bums's  fragment  also  names  the  successful  lover  "Lord  Laiiderdale," 
while  the  rival  "  frae  the  English  border"  is  named  "  Laird  o'  Loch- 
inton. " 

The  titles  of  the  lover  and  rival,  as  given  in  Buchan's  version,  are 
here  adopted,  but  Scott's  and  Motherwells  versions  are  those  chiefly 
followed. 

Lockhart,  who  edited  the  last  edition  of  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  suggests, 
with  great  plausibility,  that  the  heroine  "was  a  Johnstone  of 
Wampkray,^  and  that  Katherine  o'  Wamphray  had  been  blundered 
by  the  Ettrick  reciters  iuto  Katharine  Jeffray,  vulgarly  pronounced 
Jaufray." — Note,  vol.  iii.,  p.  125. 

It  only  remains  to  state  that  Lochinvar— a  lake  of  three  miles 
circuit,  situate  in  Kirkcudbright,  GaUoway^gave  name  to  the 
domain  and  title  of  Knights  of  Lochinvar  to  a  branch  of  the  Gordon 
family,  which  family  acquired  the  title  of  Viscount  Kenmure  in 
1633,  a  title  which  was  attainted  on  the  execution  of  William,  sixth 
Viscount,  1716;  restored  by  Act  of  Parliament,  1824;  and  which 
became  dormant  at  the  death  of  the  ninth  Viscount,  in  1847. 

Assuming  Lockhart's  conjecture  vnth  regard  to  the  family  of  the 
heroine  to  be  correct,  and  further,  that  the  hero  is  correctly  named 
"Lord  Lochinvar,"  then  the  scene  of  the  sanguinary  encounter  would 
neither  be  the  river  Caddon  or  its  vicinity,  as  stated  by  Scott,  nor 
Cowdenbrae,  as  given  by  Motherwell,  both  of  which  localities  lie  to 
the  eastward  of  Wamphray;  but  rather  Oluden  Water,  a  tributary 
of  the  river  Nith,  both  of  which  Lord  Lochinvar  would  require  to 
cross  on  his  homeward  and  westward  flight. 

The  probabilities  are  so  strongly  in  favour  of  this  theory  as  to 
warrant  the  alteration  from  the  "Caddon,"  of  Scott,  and  the 
"  Couden,"  of  Motherwell,  to  Cluden,  as  here  printed. 


KATHERINE  JANFARIE.  87 


1  There  was  a  May,  and  a  weel-far'd  May, 

Lived  high  up  in  yon  glen ; 
Her  name  was  Katherine  Janfarie, 
Weel  loved  by  niony  men. 

2  Then  up  came  young  Lord  Lochinvar, 

Up  fra6  the  Lawland  border ; 
He  came  to  court  this  bonnie  May, 
All  mounted  in  good  order. 

3  Lord  Lochinvar  he  courted  her, 

Unknown  to  all  her  kin ; 
Lord  Lochinvar  he  courted  her, 
And  did  her  favour  win. 

4  Up  then  came  Lord  Lymington, 

Frae  o'er  the  English  border ; 
He  came  to  seek  this  bonnie  Mayj 
All  mounted  in  good  order. 

5  He  sought  her  frae  father  and  mother  baith, 

And  they  did  answer  Yea ; 
But  he  ask'd  not  the  bonnie  May  hersell, 
Or  the  answer  would  been  Nay. 

6  She  never  heard  a  word  of  it 

Till  on  her  wedding  day, 
When  her  father  he  did  order  her 
To  busk  in  bride's  array. 

7  She  sent  word  to  Lord  Lochinvar, — 

"  My  wedding  come  and  see  ; " 
And  he  sent  answer  back  to  her, — 
"  I  will  not  fail  to  be." 

8  Then  he  has  sent  a  messenger 

In  haste  throughout  his  land, 
And  four-and-twenty  stalwart  men 
Were  soon  at  his  command. 

9  But  he  has  left  his  merry  men 

Conceal'd  in  greenwood  free. 
While  he  rade  to  the  wedding-house 
As  fast  as  fast  cou'd  be. 

10    When  he  came  to  the  wedding-house, 
He  enter'd  there,  and  found 
Full  four-and-twenty  belted  knights 
Set  at  a  table  round. 


BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


11  They  all  rose  up  to  honour  him, 

For  he  was  of  high  renown ; 
They  all  rose  up  to  welcome  him, 
And  bade  him  to  sit  down. 

12  Oh,  meikle  was  the  good  red  wine 

Was  filled  up  them  between  ; 
But  the  bride  aye  drank  to  Lochinvar, 
Wha  her  true  love  had  been. 

13  She  pledg'd  the  health  of  Lochinvar, 

As  toasts  were  circled  round; 
While  her  kin  grasp'd  their  gude  sword-hilts, 
And  wrathfully  they  frown'd. 

14  "  Oh,  came  ye  here  for  sport,  young  lord, 

Or  came  ye  here  for  play  ? 
Or  came  ye  here  to  drink  good  wine 
Upon  the  wedding  day?" 

15  "  I  came  not  here  for  sport,"  he  said, 

"  I  came  not  here  for  play ; 
But  with  the  bride  I'll  lead  a  dance, 
Then  mount  and  go  my  way." 

IG     They  set  her  bridesmaids  her  behind, 
To  hear  what  they  would  say; 
But  never  a  word  to  her  he  said, 
Save — -"  Mount  and  come  away." 

17  Then  took  her  by  the  milk-white  hand, 

And  by  the  grass-green  sleeve, 
And  mounted  her  behind  himsell, 
At  her  kin  spiered  nae  leave. 

18  "  Now  take  your  bride.  Lord  Lymington, 

Now  take  her  if  you  may ! 
But  if  you  take  your  bride  again, 
We'll  call  it  but  foul  play." 

19  There  were  four-and-twenty  belted  knights, 

All  clad  in  Johnstone  gray,* 
Said  they  would  take  the  bride  again. 
By  strong  hand,  if  they  may. 

20  Some  of  them  were  right  willing  men. 

But  sae  they  were  na  all, 
When  four-and-twenty  Gordons  gay 
Came  at  their  leader's  call.f 

•  The  livery  of  the  ancient  family  of  Johnstone, 
t  "  And  four-and-tweniy  Leader  lads 

Bid  them  mount  and  ride  awa." — Scon's  Version. 


LORD   LUNDIE'S  DAUGHTER.  89 


21  Then  swords  were  drawn  frae  out  their  sheaths, 

As  they  rush'd  to  the  fray, 
And  red  and  rosy  was  the  bluid 
Ran  down  the  lily  brae. 

22  The  bluid  ran  down  by  Cluden  bank, 

And  down  by  Cluden  brae  ; 
While  the  bride  she  made  the  trumpet  sound, 
"  It  is  a  weel  won  play." 

23  Oh,  meikle  was  the  bluid  was  shed 

Upon  the  Cluden  brae ; 
And  aye  she  made  the  trumpet  sound, 
"Oh,  it  is  all  fair  play." 

24  My  blessing  on  your  heart,  sweet  thing ! 

But  wae  your  wilful  will ! 
There 's  mony  a  gallant  gentleman 
Whose  bluid  ye  have  gar'd  spill. 

25  Now,  all  ye  lords  of  fair  England, 

Across  the  Border  born, 
Oh,  come  not  here  to  seek  a  wife, 
For  fear  ye  get  the  scorn. 

26  They'll  feed  ye  up  with  flattering  words. 

And  play  ye  foul,  foul  play ; 
Then  dress  ye  frogs  instead  of  fish. 
Upon  your  wedding  day. 


LORD  LUNDIE'S  DAUGHTER  AND  SQUIRE  WILLIAM. 

Versions  of  this  ballad  appeared  in — 

L  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  307,  under  the  title  of  "  Sweet 
William,"  as  "  given  from  the  chaimting  of  an  old  woman." 

II.  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  57,  mider 
the  title  of  "  Lord  Lundy." 

III.  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  p.  57; 
which  last  was  "printed  for  the  Percy  Society,"  as 
selected  from  "two  folio  (MS.)  volumes,  consisting  of 
ballads,  songs,  and  poems,  taken  down  by" — the  last- 
named  industrious  and  highly  successful  collector  and 
editor — "Mr.  P.  Buchan  of  Peterhead,  North  Britain, 
from  the  oral  recitation  of  the  peasantry  of  his  country." 


90  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


The  ballad  here  printed  is  collated  from  all  three;  Motherwell's 
being  the  one  principally  followed. 

The  ballad  resembles,  and  in  fact  all  the  versions  contain  stanzas 
almost  identical  with  several  in  "Sweet  Willie  and  Fair  Janet,"  p.  67. 

It  has  also  some  features  of  resemblance  to  "Katherine  Janfarie," 
which  precedes,  and  to  "The  Gay  Gos-hawk,"  which  foUows. 

The  mention  of  "  pistol,  powder,  and  lead,"  stanzas  18  and  19,  and 
the  reference  to  shooting,  stanzas  19  and  20,  are  probably  anachronisms 
introduced  by  some  modern  reciter. 

With  reference  to  the  introduction  of  the  "  wee  bird,"  as  a  love 
messenger,  it  may  be  noted,  that  "to  understand  the  language  of 
birds  was  peculiarly  one  of  the  boasted  sciences  of  the  Arabians ;  who 
pretend  that  many  of  their  countrymen  have  been  skilled  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  language  of  birds  ever  since  the  time  of  King 
Solomon.  Their  writers  relate  that  Balkis,  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  or 
Saba,  had  a  bird  called  Hudbud,  that  is,  a  lapwing,  which  she 
despatched  to  King  Solomon  on  various  occasions ;  and  that  this 
trusty  bird  was  the  messenger  of  their  amours.  We  are  told  that 
Solomon  having  been  secretly  informed  by  this  winged  confidant  that 
Balkis  intended  to  honour  him  with  a  grand  embassy,  inclosed  a 
spacious  square  with  a  wall  of  gold  and  silver  bricks,  in  which  he 
ranged  his  numerous  troops  and  attendants  in  order  to  receive  the 
ambassadors,  who  were  astonished  at  the  suddenness  of  these  splendid 
and  unexjjected  preparations." — Warton's  History  of  English  Poetry. 

See  also  quotation  from  Sir  Walter  Scott,  at  the  close  of  the  intro- 
duction to  the  ballad  which  comes  after  this. 

1  Lord  William  had  but  ae  dear  son, 

For  valour  had  nae  peer; 
Lord  Lnndie  had  but  ae  daughter, 
For  beauty  nana  came  near. 

2  Upon  ae  book  they  baith  did  read, 

On  ither  their  love  did  lay; 
But  when  Lord  Lundie  got  word  of  this, 
To  his  daughter  he  did  say, — 

3  "  Oh,  ye  inaun  marry  the  English  prince, 

The  Queen  of  England  to  be; 
And  ye  maun  leave  your  love  William, 
Or  baith  of  you  shall  dee." 

4  She  walk'd  up,  and  she  walk'd  down, 

Had  nane  to  hear  her  moan; 
Nae  creature  but  the  pretty  bird. 
Sat  on  the  window  stone. 

6     "  If  thou  cou'dst  speak,  wee  bird,"  she  said, 
"  As  weel  as  you  can  flee; 
A  message  to  my  love  William, 
It 's  I  wou'd  send  by  thee." 


LORD   LUNDIE'S  DAUGHTER.  91 


6  "  Write  a  letter  to  William,"  it  said, 

"  And  seal  it  with  thy  ring; 
Then  take  a  thread  of  the  silk  sae  fine, 
And  round  my  neck  it  hing." 

7  She  wrotp  a  letter  to  love  William, 

And  seal'd  it  with  her  ring; 
Then  with  a  thread  of  the  finest  silk, 
Kound  the  bird's  neck  did  it  hing. 

8  This  bird  flew  high,  this  bird  flew  low. 

It  flew  o'er  hill  and  lea; 
This  bonnie  wee  bird  flew  alang, 
As  fast  as  it  cou'd  flee. 

9  It  flew  to  where  young  Squire  William 

In  a  balcony  did  stand; 
And  sttaight  to  him  the  wee  bird  flew 
And  lighted  on  his  hand. 

10  "  Oh,  here  is  a  letter.  Squire  William, 

Frae  thy  true  love  to  thee, 
And  ere  the  morn  at  twelve  o'clock, 
Your  love  shall  married  be." 

11  "To  horse,  to  horse,"  Squire  William  cried, 

"  At  her  bridal  I  maun  be; 
And  I'll  never  come  back  a  living  man, 
If  the  bride  come  not  with  me." 

12  Then  with  a  goodly  companie. 

Each  mounted  on  a  steed. 
Squire  William  and  they,  to  Marykirk, 
Kade  on  at  utmost  speed. 

13  When  the  lady  enter'd  the  kirk  style, 

Her  tears  fell  fast  and  free; 
But  when  she  enter'd  the  kirk  door, 
A  blithe  sight  she  did  see. 

14  For  there  she  saw  her  love  William, 

In  armour  shinin'  clear; 
And  all  his  valiant  companie. 
Full  many  a  glitteriu'  spear. 

15  The  parson  he  took  book  in  hand, 

The  marriage  to  begin; 
Then  forward  young  Squire  William  strode, 
Bride  and  bridegroom  between. 


92  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


16  "  Oh,  hold  a  little,  thou  holy  man. 

Oh,  hold  a  little,"  said  he, 
"  Till  I  speak  with  the  bonnie  bride — 
She 's  a  dear,  dear  friend  to  me. 

17  "  Stand  off,  stand  off,  ye  braw  bridegroom. 

Stand  off,  stand  off,"  said  he; 
"  Stand  off,  stand  off,  ye  braw  bridegroom, 
The  bride  shall  join  with  me." 

18  Up  then  spake  the  bride's  father, 

And  an  angry  man  was  he — 
"  If  I  had  pistol,  powder,  and  lead, 
A  dead  man  you  wou'd  be. 

19  "  If  I  had  pistol,  powder,  and  lead, 

With  me  at  my  command. 
It's  I  would  shoot  thee  stiff  and  dead, 
In  the  place  where  thou  dost  stand." 

20  Up  and  spake  then  Squire  William, 

While  blithely  blink'd  his  e'e— 
"  If  ye  ne'er  be  shot  till  I  shoot  you, 
You'll  ne'er  be  shot  for  me." 

21  "  Oh,  if  my  daughter  marries  you 

Without  the  leave  of  me, 
I  make  a  vow,  and  I'll  keep  it  true, 
A  portionless  bride  she'll  be." 

22  Up  and  spake  then  Squire  William, 

And  light  he  laugh'd  with  glee — 
"  I've  got  the  best  portion  now,  my  lord, 
That  ye  cou'd  gi'e  to  me. 

23  "  Your  gude  red  gold  I  value  not, 

Nor  value  I  your  fee; 
I  ha'e  her  by  the  hand  this  day 
That 's  dearer  far  to  me. 

24  "  Let  the  young  prince  clasp  your  gold  coffer, 

When  he  gangs  till  his  bed; 
Let  the  young  prince  clasp  your  gold  coffer, 
And  I  my  bonnie  bride. 

25  "  Commend  me  to  my  good  mother, 

At  night  when  you  gang  home; 
Come  out,  come  out,  my  foremost  man, 
And  lift  my  lady  on." 


THE   GAY   GOS-HAWK.  93 


26     Out  then  spake  him  Lord  Lundie, 
An  angry  man  was  he: 
"  My  daughter  will  marry  Squire  William, 
It  seems,  in  spite  of  me." 


THE  GAY  GOS-HAWK. 

Three  versions  of  this  ballad  have  been  published  : — 

I.  By  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Mimtrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  151,  "partly 
from  one  under  this  title  in  Mrs.  Brown's  collection, 
and  partly  from  a  MS.  of  some  antiquity,  penes  Edit." 
II.  By  Motherwell,  p.  353,  under  the  title  of  "The  Jolly 
Gos-hawk,"  from  a  MS.  sent  to  Mr.  Peter  Buchan,  and 
"  forwarded  "  by  him  to  his  "  good  friend,"  the  editor  of 
Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modem. 
III.  By  Buchan,  Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  245,  under 
the  title  of  ' '  The  Scottish  Squire,"  from  a  copy  which  he 
"  took  down  from  recitation."  In  this  latter  "  the  parrot 
takes  the  place  of  the  gos-hawk."  It  opens  .with  the 
following  stanza  : — 

"  When  grass  grew  green  oh  Lanark  plaina, 
And  fruit  and  flowers  did  spring, 
A  Scottish  squire,  in  cheerfu  strains, 
Sae  merrily  thus  did  sing." 

Followed    by    a    stanza  corresponding    to    stanza    4    of 
the  present  version,  and  to  the  one  with  which  Mother- 
well's begins. 
The  present  version  is  compiled  from  all  three. 

The  simile,  stanza  7,  "resembles  a  passage  in  a  MS.  translation  of 
an  Irish  fairy  tale,  called  '  The  Adventures  of  Faravla,  Princess  of 
Scotland,  and  Carral  O'Daly,  Sou  of  Donogho  More  O'Daly,  Chief 
Bard  of  Ireland.'  Faravla,  as  she  entered  her  bower,  cast  her 
looks  upon  the  earth,  which  was  tinged  with  the  blood  of  a  bird 
which  a  raven  had  newly  killed.  'Like  that  snow,'  said  Faravla, 
'  was  the  complexion  of  my  beloved  ;  his  cheeks  Mke  the  sanguine 
traces  thereon  ;  whilst  the  raven  recalls  to  my  memory  the  colour  of 
his  beautiful  locks.'  There  is  also  some  resemblance  in  the  conduct 
of  the  story,  betwixt  the  ballad  and  the  tale  just  quoted.  The  princess 
Faravla,  being  desperately  in  love  with  Carral  O'Daly,  despatches  in 
search  of  him  a  faithful  confidante,  who,  by  her  magical  art,  trans- 
forms herself  into  a  hawk,  and  perching  upon  the  windows  of  the 
bard,  conveys  to  him  information  of  the  distress  of  the  princess  of 
Scotland. 

"In  the  ancient  romance  of  '  Sir  Tristrem,'  the  simile  of  the  'blood 
drops  \ipon  snow  '  likewise  occurs : — 

'  A  bride  bright  thai  ches 
As  blod  opon  snoweing.' " 

Sir  Walter  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  152. 


94  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


1  "Oh,  weel  is  me  ray  gay  gos-hawk, 

If  your  feathering  be  sheen!  " 
"Oh,  waly,  waly,  my  master  dear, 
But  ye  look  pale  and  lean ! 

2  "  Oh,  have  ye  tint,  at  tournament, 

Your  sword,  or  yet  your  spear  ? 

Or  mourn  ye  for  the  Southern  lass 

Whom  you  may  not  win  near  ?" 

3  "I  have  not  tint,  at  tournament. 

My  sword  nor  yet  my  spear ; 
But  sair  I  mourn  for  my  true  love, 
With  mony  a  bitter  tear. 

4  "  But  weel  is  me  my  gay  gos-hawk, 

That  ye  can  speak  and  flee; 
Ye  shall  carry  a  letter  to  my  love, 
Bring  an  answer  back  to  me." 

5  "  But  how  shall  I  your  true  love  find, 

Or  how  shou'd  I  her  know  ? 
I  bear  a  tongue  ne'er  with  her  spake. 
And  eyes  that  ne'er  her  saw." 

6  "  Oh,  weel  shall  ye  my  true  love  ken, 

Sae  sune  as  ye  her  see  ; 
For  of  all  the  flowers  of  fair  England, 
The  fairest  flower  is  she. 

7  "  Oh,  what  is  red  of  her  is  red 

As  bluid  drapp'd  on  the  snaw ; 
And  what  is  white  of  her  is  white 
As  milk,  or  wild  sea-maw. 

8  "  And  even  at  my  love's  bow'r  door 

You'll  find  a  bowing  birk ; 
And  ye  maim  sit  and  sing  thereon, 
As  she  gangs  to  the  kirk. 

9  "  And  four-and-twenty  fair  ladyes 

Will  to  the  mass  repair; 
But  well  may  ye  my  ladye  ken, 
The  fairest  ladye  there. 

10     "And  when  she  goes  into  the  house, 
Light  ye  upon  the  whin  ; 
And  sit  ye  there  and  sing  our  loves, 
As  she  goes  out  and  in." 


THE   GAY   GOS-HAWK.  95 


11  Lord  William  has  written  a  love  letter, 

Put  it  under  his  pinion  gray ; 
And  he  is  awa  to  Southern  land 
As  fast  as  wings  can  gae. 

12  And  even  at  that  ladye's  bow'r 

There  gre^v  a  flowering  birk ; 
And  he  sat  down  and  sung  thereon, 
As  she  gaed  to  the  kirk. 

13  And  weel  he  kent  that  ladye  fair, 

Araang  her  maidens  free, 
For  the  flower  that  springs  in  May  morning 
Was  not  sae  sweet  as  she. 

14  And  when  she  came  back  from  the  mass, 

He  sat  him  on  a  whin, 
And  sang  full  sweet  the  notes  of  love, 
Till  all  was  cosh  *  within. 

15  And  first  he  sang  a  low,  low  note. 

And  syne  he  sang  a  clear ; 
And  aye  the  o'er  word  of  the  sang 
Was — ''  Your  love  can  no  win  here." 

16  "Feast  on,  feast  on,  my  maidens  all, 

The  wine  flows  you  amang. 
While  I  gang  to  my  shot-window, 
And  hear  yon  sweet  bird's  sang. 

17  "  Sing  on,  sing  on,  my  bonnie  bird, 

With  feathering  sae  sheen ; 
For  weel  I  ken,  by  your  sweet  sang, 
You  left  my  love  yestreen." 

18  Oh,  first  he  sang  a  merry  sang, 

And  syne  he  sang  a  grave ; 
And  syne  he  peck'd  his  feathers  gray, 
To  her  the  letter  gave. 

19  "  Have  there  a  letter  from  Lord  William; 

He  says  he 's  sent  ye  three ; 

He  canna  wait  your  love  langer, 

But  for  your  sake  he'll  dee." 

20  "  I  send  him  the  rings  from  my  white  fingers. 

The  garlands  off  my  hair ; 
I  send  him  the  heart  that 's  in  my  breast, 
What  wou'd  my  love  have  mair? 

•  "CoBh:"snug;  comfortable;  quiet. 


96  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY    OF   SCOTLAND. 


21  "  Gae  bid  him  bake  his  bridal  bread, 

And  brew  his  bridal  ale, 
And  I  shall  meet  him  at  Mary's  kirk, 
Lang,  lang  ere  it  be  stale." 

22  She  hied  her  to  her  father  dear. 

As  fast  as  gang  cou'd  she: 
"  A  boon,  a  boon,  my  father  dear^ 
A  boon  I  beg  of  thee ! " 

23  "  Ask  what  you  will,  my  dear  daughter, 

And  I  will  grant  it  thee; 
Unless  to  marry  yon  Scottish  squire ; 
That's  what  shall  never  be." 

24  "  Oh,  that's  the  asking,  father,"  she  said, 

"  That  I'll  ne'er  ask  of  thee  ; 
But  if  I  die  in  merry  England, 
In  Scotland  ye'll  bury  me. 

25  "  And  the  first  kirk  that  ye  come  to^ 

Ye 's  gar  the  mass  be  sung ; 
And  the  next  kirk  that  ye  come  to. 
Ye 's  gar  the  bells  be  rung. 

26  "  At  the  third  kirk  of  fair  Scotland, 

You'll  deal  gold  for  my  sake ; 
And  at  that  kirk,'  St.  Mary's  kirk, 
All  night  my  body  wake." 

27  "  The  asking's  na«  sae  great,  daughter, 

But  granted  it  shall  be ; 
And  tho'  ye  die  in  merry  England, 
In  Scotland  we'll  bury  thee." 

28  And  she  has  gane  to  her  step-mother, 

Fell  low  down  on  her  knee: 
"  An  asking,  an  asking,  mother  dear, 
I  pray  you  grant  it  me." 

29  "  Ask  what  you  please,  my  lily-white  dove. 

And  granted  it  shall  be." 

"  If  I  do  die  in  merry  England, 

In  Scotland  gar  bury  me." 

30  "  Oh,  had  these  words  been  to'  speak  again, 

I'd  not  have  granted  thee; 
You  ha'e  a  love  in  fair  Scotland, 
With  him  you  fain  wou'd  be." 


THE   GAY   GOS-HAWK.  '97 


31  She  has  hied  her  to  her  bigly  bow'r 

As  fast  as  she  cou'd  fare; 
And  she  has  drank  a  sleepy  draught 
That  she  had  mix'd  with  care. 

32  And  pale,  pale  grew  her  rosy  cheek, 

That  was  sae  bright  of  blee, 
And  she  seem'd  to  be  as  surely  dead 
As  any  one  cou'd  be. 

33  Then  spake  her  cruel  step-ininnie,— 

"  Take  ye  the  burning  lead, 
And  drap  a  drap  on  her  bosom, 
To  try  if  she  be  dead." 

34  They  took  a  drap  of  boiling  lead, 

And  drapp'd  it  on  her  breast; 
"  Alas!  alas!"  her  father  cry'd, 
"  She 's  dead  without  the  priest.'* 

35  She  neither  chattef'd  with  her  teeth^ 

Nor  shiver'd  with  her  chin; 
"Alas!  alas!"  her  father  cry'd, 
"  There  is  nae  breath  within." 

36  Then  up  arose  her  seven  brethren^ 

And  hew'd  to  her  a  bier; 
They  hew'd  it  frae  the  solid  aik, 
Laid  it  o'er  with  silver  clear. 

37  Her  sisters  they  went  to  a  roonij 

To  make  to  her  a  sark; 
The  cloth  of  it  was  satin  fine. 
And  the  steeking  silken  wark. 

38  The  first  Scots  kirk  that  they  came  to, 

They  gar'd  the  bells  be  rung; 
The  next  Scots  kirk  that  they  came  to, 
They  gar'd  the  mass  be  sUng. 

39  But  when  they  came  to  St.  Mary's  kirk, 

There  stude  spearmen  all  on  a  raw; 
And  up  and  started  Lord  William, 
The  chieftain  o'er  them  a'. 

40  "  Set  down,  set  down  the  corpse,"  he  said, 

"Till  I  look  on  the  dead; 
The  last  time  that  I  saw  her  face, 
She  ruddy  was  and  red. 
H 


98  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


41  "  Set  down,  set  down  the  bier,"  he  said ; 

"  Let  me  look  her  upon;" 
But  as  soon  as  Lord  William  touch'd  her  hand, 
Her  colour  'gan  to  come. 

42  She  bi'ighten'd  like  the  lily  flower, 

Till  her  pale  colour  was  gone; 
With  rosy  cheek  and  ruby  lip, 
She  smil'd  her  love  upon. 

43  "  A  morsel  of  your  bread,  my  lord, 

And  one  glass  of  your  wine; 
For  I  ha'e  fasted  these  three  lang  days, 
All  for  your  sake  and  mine. 

44  "  Gae  hame,  gae  hame,  my  seven  bauld  brothers, 

Gae  hame  and  blaw  your  horn ! 
I  trow  ye  wou'd  ha'e  gi'en  me  the  skaith, 
But  I've  gi'en  you  the  scorn. 

45  "  I  came  not  here  to  fair  Scotland, 

To  mix  amang  the  clay; 
I  came  to  be  Lord  William's  wife, 
And  wear  the  silks  so  gay. 

46  '*  I  came  not  here  to  fair  Scotland, 

To  lye  amang  the  dead ; 
But  I  came  here  to.  fair  Scotland, 
To  wear  the  gold  so  red. 

47  "  Commend  me  to  my  gray  father, 

That  wish'd  my  saul  gude  rest; 

But  wae  be  to  my  cruel  step-dame, 

Gar'd  burn  me  on  the  breast." 

48  "  Ah!  woe  to  you,  you  light  woman! 

An  ill  death  may  you  die ! 
For  we  left  father  and  sisters  at  hame, 
Breaking  their  hearts  for  thee. 

49  "  But  since  ye  ha'e  gi'en  to  us  this  scorn, 

We  shall  gi'e  you  anither; 
For  the  only  tocher  you  shall  get 
Is  the  bier  that  brought  ye  hither." 


THE  EARL  OF  MAR'S  DAUGHTER. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  49,  and  note^ 
p.  295. 


THE  EABL  OF  MAR'S  DAUGHTER.  99 


"  In  the  Oriental  courts  of  the  ancients,  magic  was  a  favourite 
study ;"  and  ' ' till  within "  a  comparatively  recent  period,  "a  behef  in 
magic  and  witchcraft  was  cherished,  not  only  by  the  ignorant,  but 
the  learned,  in  our  own "  and  other  European  countries.  In  Toledo, 
Seville,  and  Salamanca,  and  in  various  parts  of  Italy,  there  were, 
during  the  middle  ages,  "public  schools  where  magic  was  taught."  In 
our  own  countiy,  the  names  of  Merlin,  Michael  Scot,  Lord  Soulis,  and 
Thomas  the  Rhymer,  are  famous  on  account  of  their  alleged  magical 
and  supernatural  gifts  ;  and  in  more  recent  times  it  is  stated,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Gowrie  conspiracy,  that  "When  he — i.e.,  Earl  Gowrie 
— went  to  Padua,  there  he  studied  necromancy ;  and  his  own  pedagogue. 
Master  Rhind,  testifies,  that  he  had  those  characters  aye  upon  him, 
which  he  loved  so,  that  if  he  had  forgot  to  put  them  in  his  breeches, 
he  would  run  up  and  down  like  a  madman ;  and  he  had  them  upon 
him  when  he  was  slain  ;  and  as  they  testify  that  saw  it,  he  could  not 
bleed  so  long  as  they  were  upon  him." 

Transformations  are  common  to  the  mythology  and  early  literature 
of  all  nations ;  such  as  the  metamorphosis  of  gods  and  men  into  "birds, 
beasts,  tishes,  woods,  and  water. " 

"This  ballad  has  the  highest  claim  to  antiquity.  The  learned 
Lord  Hailes  says  the  title  of  Mar  is  one  of  the  earldoms  whose 
origin  is  lost  in  its  antiquity.  It  would  therefore  be  vain  for  me  to 
ascribe  the  date  of  the  ballad  to  any  precise  period."  The  quotations 
are  taken  from  Mr.  Buchan's  note  above  referred  to. 

1  It  was  intil  a  pleasant  time, 

Upon  a  simmer's  day, 
The  noble  Earl  of  Mar's  daughter. 
Went  forth  to  sport  and  play. 

2  As  thus  she  did  amuse  hersel' 

Below  a  green  aik  tree^ 
There  she  saw  a  sprightly  doo 
Set  on  a  tower  sae  hie. 

3  "0  Cow-me-doo,  my  love  sae  true, 

If  ye'll  come  down  to  me, 
Ye'se  ha'e  a  cage  of  gudB  red  gowd, 
Instead  of  simple  tree : 

4  "  I'll  put  gowd  hingers  roun'  your  cage, 

And  silver  roun'  your  wall ; 
I'll  gar  ye  shine  as  fair  a  bird 
As  ony  of  them  all." 

5  But  she  had  not  these  words  well  spoke, 

Nor  yet  these  words  well  said, 
Till  Cow-me-doo  flew  frae  the  tower, 
And  lighted  on  her  head. 


100  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 

6  Then  she  has  brought  this  pretty  bir-d 

Hame  to  her  bow'rs  and  hall, 
And  made  him  shine  as  fair  a  bird 
As  ony  of  them  all. 

7  When  day  was  gane  and  night  was  come, 

About  the  evening  tide, 
This  lady  spied  a  sprightly  youth 
Stand  straight  up  by  her  side. 

8  "From  whence  came  ye,  young  man?"  she  said, 

"That  does  surprise  me  sair; 
My  door  was  bolted  right  secure ; 
What  way  ha'e  ye  come  here?" 

9  "  Oh,  baud  your  tongue,  ye  lady  fair, 

Let  all  your  folly  be ; 
Mind  ye  not  on  your  turtle  doo. 
Last  day  ye  brought  with  thee?" 

10  "Oh,  tell  me  mair,  young  man,"  she  said; 

"  This  does  surprise  me  now; 
But  what  country  ha'e  ye  come  frae? 
What  pedigree  are  you?" 

11  "My  mither  lives  on  foreign  isles; 

She  has  nae  mair  but  me ; 
She  is  a  queen  of  wealth,  and  state, 
And  birth,  and  high  degree. 

12  "  Likewise  well  skill'd  in  magic  spells, 

As  ye  may  plainly  see; 
And  she  transform'd  me  to  yon  shape, 
To  charm  such  maids  as  thee. 

13  "  I  am  a  doo  the  live-lang  day, 

A  sprightly  youth  at  night; 
This  aye  gars  me  appear  mair  fair 
In  a  fair  maiden's  sight. 

14  "  And  it  was  but  this  very  day 

That  I  came  o'er  the  sea; 
Your  lovely  face  did  me  enchant : 
I'll  live  and  dee  with  thee." 

15  "  0  Cow-me-doo,  my  luve  sae  true, 

Nae  mair  frae  me  ye'se  gae." 
"  That 's  never  my  intent,  my  luve; 
As  ye  said,  it  shall  be  sae," 


THE   EARL  OF  MAR'S  DAUGHTER.  101 


16  Then  he  has  staid  in  bow'r  with  her 

For  sax  lang  years  and  ane, 
Till  sax  young  sons  to  him  she  bare, 
And  the  seventh  she  's  brought  hame. 

17  But  aye  as  ever  a  child  was  born, 

He  carried  them  away, 
And  brought  them  to  his  mither's  care, 
As  fast  as  they  cou'd  fly. 

18  Thus  he  has  staid  in  bow'r  with  her 

For  twenty  years  and  three ; 
Then  came  a  lord  of  high  renown 
To  court  this  fair  ladj'e. 

19  But  still  his  proffer  she  refused, 

And  all  his  presents  too ; 
Says — "  I'm  content  to  live  alane, 
With  my  bird,  Cow-me-doo." 

20  Her  father  sware  a  solemn  oath 

Amang  the  nobles  all, — 
"  The  morn,  or  ere  I  eat  or  drink, 
This  bird  I  kill  it  shall." 

21  The  bird  was  sitting  in  his  cage. 

And  heard  what  they  did  say ; 
And  when  he  found  they  were  dismiss'd, 
Says — "  Waes  me  for  this  day. 

22  "  Before  that  I  do  langer  stay. 

And  thus  to  be  forlorn, 
I'll  gang  unto  my  mither's  bow'r, 
Where  I  was  bred  and  born." 

23  Then  Cow-me-doo  took  flight  and  flew 

Beyond  the  raging  sea ; 
And  lighted  near  his  mither's  castle, 
On  a  tower  of  gowd  sae  hie. 

24  As  his  mither  was  walking  out, 

To  see  what  she  cou'd  see. 
It 's  there  she  saw  her  little  son 
Set  on  the  tower  sae  hie. 

25  "  Get  dancers  here  to  dance,"  she  said, 

"  And  minstrels  for  to  play; 
For  here 's  my  young  son,  Florentine, 
Come  here  with  me  to  stay." 


102  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


26  "  Get  nae  dancers  to  dance,  mither, 

Nor  minstrels  for  to  play; 
For  the  mither  of  my  seven  sons, 
The  mom 's  her  wedding  day." 

27  "  Oh,  tell  me,  tell  me,  Florentine, 

Tell  me,  and  tell  me  true ; 
Tell  me  this  day,  without  a  flaw, 
What  I  will  do  for  you." 

28  "  Instead  of  dancers  to  dance,  mither, 

Or  minstrels  for  to  play, 
Turn  four-and-twenty  wall-wight  men, 
Like  storks,  in  feathers  gray; 

29  "  My  seven  sons  to  seven  swans, 

Aboon  their  heads  to  flee  ; 
And  I,  mysel',  a  gay  gos-hawk, 
A  bird  of  high  degree." 

30  Then  sighin',  said  the  queen  hersel*, 

"  That  thing 's  too  high  for  me ; " 
But  she  applied  to  an  auld  woman, 
Who  had  mair  skill  than  she. 

31  Instead  of  dancers  to  dance  a  dance, 

Or  minstrels  for  to  play, 
Four-and-twenty  wall- wight  men 
Tum'd  birds  of  feathers  gray; 

32  Her  seven  sons  to  seven  swans, 

Aboon  their  heads  to  flee ; 
And  he,  himsel',  a  gay  gos-hawk, 
A  bird  of  high  degree. 

33  This  flock  of  birds  took  flight  and  flew 

Beyond  the  raging  sea ; 
And  landed  near  the  Earl  Mar's  castle, 
Took  shelter  in  every  tree. 

34  They  were  a  flock  of  pretty  birds. 

Right  comely  to  be  seen ; 
The  people  view'd  them  with  surprise 
As  they  danced  on  the  green. 

35  These  birds  ascended  frae  the  tree, 

And  lighted  on  the  hall; 
And  at  the  last  with  force  did  flee 
Amang  the  nobles  all. 


LORD  THOMAS  AND   FAIR  ANNIE.  103 


3G     The  storks  there  seiz'd  some  of  the  men, 
They  cou'd  neither  fight  nor  flee ; 
The  swans  they  bound  the  bride's  best  man 
Below  a  green  aik  tree. 

37  They  lighted  next  on  maidens  fair, 

Then  on 'the  bride's  own  head  ; 

And  with  the  twinkling  of  an  e'e 

The  bride  and  them  were  fled. 

38  There 's  ancient  men  at  weddings  been^ 

For  sixty  years  or  more ; 
But  sic  a  curious  wedding-day 
They  never  saw  before. 


LORD  THOMAS  AND  FAltl  ANNIE. 

"  This  ballad  is  much  the  same  with:  the  Breton  romance,  called 
'  Lay  le  Frain,'  or  the  'Song  of  the  Ash,'  a  copy  of  which  ancient 
romance  is  preserved  in  the  invaluable  collection  (W.  4.  1.)  of  the 
Advocates'  Library,  and  begins  thus  : — 

'  We  redeth  oft  and  flndeth  ywrite 
And  this  clerkes  wele  it  wite 
Layes  that  ben  in  harping 
Ben  yfound  of  ferli  thing 
Sum  beth  of  wer  and  some  of  wd 
Sum  of  joye  and  mirthe  also 
And  sum  of  trecherie  and  gile 
Of  old  eventours  that  fel  while 
And  sum  of  bourdes  and  ribaudy 
And  many  ther  beth  of  faery 
Of  al  thinges  that  men  seth 
Maist  o'  love  forsoth  yai  beth. 

'In  Breyteyne  bi  old  time 
This  layes  were  wrought  to  seithe  this  rime 
"When  kinges  might  our  y  here 
Of  ani  mervailes  that  ther  wer 
They  token  a  harp  in  glee  and  game 
And  maked  a  lay  and  gaf  it  name 
Now  of  these  aventours  that  weren  y  falle 
Y  can  tell  sum  ae  nought  alle 
Ae  herkeneth  lordinges  sothe  to  sain 
I  chil  you  tel  Lay  le  Frain 
Befel  a  cas  in  Breteyne 
Whereof  was  made  Lay  le  Frain 
In  Ingliche  for  to  tellen  y  wis 
Of  ane  ashe  forsothe  it  is 
On  ane  ensammple  fair  with  alle 
That  sumtyme  was  bifalle,'  &c. 

"  A  ballad,  agreeing  in  every  respect  with  that  which  follows,  exists 
in  the  Danish  collection  of  ancient  songs,  entitled  Kcempe  Viser. 
It  is  called  '  Skicen  Anna,'  i.  e.,  Fair  Annie ;  and  has  been  trans- 
lated literally  by  my  learned  friend,  Mr.  Robert  Jamieson.  See  his 
Popular  Ballads,  Edin.,  1806,  vol.  ii.,  p.  100.  This  work  contains 
many  original  and  curious  observations  on  the  connection  between  the 


104  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


ancient  poetry  of  Britain  and  of  the  nortliern  nations." — Scott, 
Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  249. 

Versions  of  the  ballad  also  exist  in  Swedish,  Dutch,  and  German, 
but  in  the  latter  it  appears  in  a  form  "  considerably  changed." 

"The  Scottish  versions  are  quite  numerous.  A  fragment  of  eight 
stanzas  was  published  in  Herd's  collection,  '  Wha  will  bake  my  bridal 
bread,'  Ed.,  1776;  i.,  167.  Sir  Walter  Scott  gave  a  complete  copy  in 
the  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border  ['  from  the  recitation  of  an  old 
woman  residing  near  Kirkhill,  in  West  Lothian,  the  same  from  whom 
were  obtained  the  variations  in  the  tale  of  "  Tamlane  "  and  the  frag- 
ment of  the  "  Wife  of  Usher's  Well"  '].  Two  other  copies,  also  from 
oral  tradition,  were  inserted  by  Jamieson  in  the  appendix  to  his 
Popular  Ballads,  'Lady  Jane'  [from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Brown], 
vol.  ii.,  p.  371  ;  'Burd  Helen'  [from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Arret], 
vol.  ii. ,  p.  .376  ;  and  from  these  he  constructed  the  edition  of  '  Lady 
Jane,'  printed  at  p.  73  of  the  same  volume.  Motherwell,  Minstrelsii, 
p.  327,  affords  still  another  variety  [under  the  title  of  '  Fair  Annie '] ; 
and  Chambers  has  compiled  a  ballad  from  all  these  sources,  and  a 
manuscrii^t  furnished  by  Mr.  Kinloch,  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  186." — 
Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  iii.,  p.  1 92. 

The  ballad  here  published  has  been  collated  from  the  various 
Scotish  versions  named  above. 

Part  I, 

1  There  liv'd  a  lord  on  yon  sea-side, 

And  lie  thouglit  on  a  wile, 
How  he  would  go  o'er  the  salt  sea, 
A  lady  to  beguile. 

2  "  It 's  narrow  make  your  bed,  Annie. 

And  learn  to  lye  your  lane ; 
For  I'm  gaun  o'er  the  sea,  Annie, 

A  braw  bride  to  bring  hame. 
With  her  I  will  get  gowd  and  gear ; 

With  you  I  ne'er  got  nane." 

3  "  Oh,  I  maun  make  it  wide,  Thomas, 

Oh,  I  maun  make  it  wide, 
If  all  your  seven  sons,  and  mine, 
Maun  lye  down  by  my  side. 

4  "  The  first  of  your  braw  seven  sons, 

He  rides  a  milk-white  steed ; 
The  second  of  your  seven  sons. 
He  wears  a  milk-white  weed ; 

5  "  The  third  ane  of  your  seven  sons, 

He  draws  baith  ale  and  wine ; 

The  fourth  ane  of  your  seven  sons, 

He  serves  you  when  you  dine ; 


LORD  TH05IAS  AND   FAIR  ANNIE.  105 


6  "  The  fifth  ane  of  your  seven  sons, 

He  can  baith  read  and  write ; 
And  the  sixth  ane  of  your  seven  sons, 
He  is  all  your  heart's  delight ; 

7  "  The  youngest  of  your  seven  sons, 

He  sleeps  on  my  breast-bane ; 
He  soundly  sleeps,  and  sweetly  smiles, 
Nor  heeds  his  mother's  mane." 

8  "  But  wha  will  bake  my  bridal  bread, 

Or  brew  my  bridal  ale  ? 
And  wha  will  welcome  my  brisk  bride. 
That  I  bring  o'er  the  dale  ?  " 

9  "  It 's  I  will  bake  your  bridal  bread, 

And  brew  your  bridal  ale ; 
And  I  will  welcome  your  brisk  bride, 
That  you  bring  o'er  the  dale." 

10  "  But  she  that  welcomes  my  brisk  bride 

Maun  gang  like  maiden  fair ; 
She  maun  lace  on  her  robe  sae  jimp. 
And  braid  her  yellow  hair." 

11  "  But  how  can  I  gang  maiden-like. 

When  maid  I  ne'er  can  be  ? 

Or  I,  the  mother  of  seven  sons. 

Look  like  a  maiden  free  ?  " 

Part  II. 

12  She 's  dress'd  her  sons  in  the  scarlet  red. 

Herself  in  dainty  green ; 
And  tho'  her  cheeks  look'd  pale  and  wan, 
She  well  might  been  a  queen. 

13  She 's  ta'en  her  young  son  in  her  arms. 

Another  in  her  hand ; 
And  she 's  up  to  the  highest  towei-. 
To  see  him  come  to  land. 

14  "  Come  up,  come  up,  my  eldest  son. 

And  look  o'er  yon  sea-strand. 
And  see  your  father's  new-come  bride 
Before  she  come  to  land." 

15  "Come  down,  come  down,  my  mother  dear. 

Come  frae  the  castle  wall ; 
I  fear,  if  langer  ye  stand  there, 
Ye'll  let  yoursel'  down  fall." 


106  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


16  She 's  ta'en  a  cake  of  the  best  bread, 

A  bottle  of  the  best  wine, 
And  all  the  keys  upon  her  arm, 
And  to  the  shore  hied  syne.  • 

17  She  hied  her  down  to  the  shore  side, 

Her  love's  ship  for  to  see ; 
The  topmast  and  the  mainmast  baith, 
Shone  like  the  silver  free. 

18  She  hied  her  down,  and  farther  down, 

The  bride's  ship  to  behold; 
The  topmast  and  the  mainmast  baith, 
They  shone  just  like  the  gold. 

19  She  's  ta'en  her  seven  sons  in  her  hand; 

I  wot  she  didna  fail! 
She  met  Lord  Thomas  and  his  bride^ 
As  they  came  o'er  the  dale. 

20  "You  are  welcome  hame,  Lord  Thomas, 

And  welcome  to  your  land; 
You  are  welcome,  with  your  fair  ladyC) 
That  you  lead  by  the  hand. 

21  "  You  are  welcome  to  your  halls,  ladye. 

You  are  welcome  to  your  bow'rs; 
You  are  welcome  to  your  hame,  ladye. 
For  all  that 's  here  is  yours." 

22  "I  thank  thee,  Annie,"  said  the  bride, 

"  Sae  dearlie  I  thank  thee ; 

While  I  am  ladye  in  this  place, 

Your  good  friend  I  will  be." 

Part  III. 

23  Fair  Annie  served  the  first  table 

With  white  bread  and  with  wine; 
And  aye  she  drank  the  wan  water. 
To  keep  her  colour  fine. 

24  Fair  Annie  served  the  next  table 

With  brown  bread  and  with  beer; 
But  aye  she  drank  the  wan  water, 
To  keep  her  colour  clear. 

25  As  she  gaed  by  the  first  table, 

She  leuch  amang  them  all; 
But  e'er  she  reach'd  the  next  table, 
She  let  the  tears  down  fall. 


LORD  THOMAS  AND   FAIR  ANNIE.  107 


26  Fair  Annie  tum'd  her  round  about, 

For  fear  she  wou'd  be  seen; 
And  aye  she  wiped  the  tears  trickling 
Fast  frae  her  watery  een. 

27  Then  she  has  ta'en  a  lang  napkin, 

And  hung  it  on  a  pin; 
And  aye  she  wiped  the  tears  trickling 
Adown  her  cheek  and  chin.* 

28  And  aye  Lord  Thomas  turn'd  him  round 

And  smiled  amang  his  men, 
Says — "  Like  ye  best  the  old  ladye, 
Or  her  that 's  new  come  hame  ?  " 

29  When  bells  were  I'ung  and  mass  was  sung, 

And  all  men  bound  to  bed, 
Lord  Thomas  and  his  new-come  bride 
To  their  chamber  they  gaed. 

30  Fair  Annie  ta'en  her  harp  in  hand, 

To  harp  the  twa  asleep ; 
And  as  she  harp'd  and  as  she  sang, 
Full  sorely  she  did  weep.f 

31  "  Oh,  I  have  born  seven  fair  sons 

To  the  good  lord  of  this  place; 

And  I  wish  they  were  seven  hares, 

That  I  might  give  them  chase. 

32  "  I  wish  that  they  were  seven  hares, 

Rimning  o'er  yon  lily  lee. 
And  I  a  good  greyhound  mysel' — 
Soon  worried  they  shou'd  be." 

33  "  Oh,  I  have  born  seven  fair  sons 

To  the  good  lord  of  this  hall; 
I  wish  that  they  were  seven  rats, 

Running  on  the  castle  wall; 
And  I  were  a  gray  cat  mysel' — 

I  soon  wou'd  worry  them  all," 

34  And  wae  and  sad  fair  Annie  sat, 

And  drearie  was  her  sang; 
And  ever,  as  she  sobb'd  and  grat, 
"  Wae  to  him  that  did  the  wrang!  " 

•  "  It  was  to  dry  her  watery  eyes 
As  she  gaed  out  and  in." 

Jamieson's  Version,  vol.  iL,  p.  374. 
t  "  She 's  ta'en  a  harp  into  her  hand, 
Went  to  their  chamber  door. 
And  aye  she  harp'd  and  aye  she  mnm'd, 
With  the  salt  tears  falling  o'er." 

Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  334. 


108  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


35  "  My  gown  is  on,"  the  new  bride  said, 

"  My  shoon  are  on  my  feet, 
And  I  will  to  fair  Annie  gang, 
And  see  what  gars  her  greet. 

36  "  What  ails,  what  ails  ye,  fair  Annie, 

That  ye  make  sic  a  moan; 
Has  your  wine  barrels  cast  the  girds, 
Or  is  your  white  bread  gone? 

37  "  I  had  a  sister  ance,  Annie, 

By  reivers  stown  away ; 
Father  and  mother  baith  for  her 

Sair  mourn'd  many  a  day : 
A  sister  just  like  you,  Annie, 

Then  answer  me,  I  pray. 

38  "  And  say  wha  was  your  father,  Annie, 

And  say  wha  was  your  mother? 
And  had  you  any  sister,  Annie? 
Or  had  you  any  brother?  " 

39  "  The  Earl  of  Wemyss  was  my  father, 

The  countess  was  my  mother: 
And  all  the  bairns  beside  mysel' 
Were  a  sister  and  a  brother,"  * 

•  Motherwell's  version  reads  :— 

" '  King  Henry  was  my  father  dear, 
Queen  Esther  was  my  mother, 
Prince  Henry  was  my  brother  dear, 
And  Fanny  flower  njy  sister.' 

" '  If  King  Henry  was  your  father  dear, 
And  Queen  Esther  was  your  mother, 
If  Prince  Henry  was  your  brother  dear. 
Then  surely  I'm  your  sister.' 

** 'Come  to  your  bed,  my  sister  dear, 

It  ne'er  was  wrang'd  for  me ; 

But  ae  kiss  of  his  merry  mouth, 

As  we  came  o'er  the  sea.' " 

The  version  given  by  Jamieson  from  Mrs.  Arrot's  recitation  names  the  relatives 
as  " King  Henry,"  "Queen  Catherine,"  "Frederick,"  and  "Lady  Aime,"  and  states 
tliat  the  heroine  as  a  child  had  been  called  "  Mary  mild-"  In  the  version  from  the 
i-ecitation  of  Mrs.  Brown,  the  father  is  styled  "the  Earl  of  Eichmond,"  mother, 
sister,  and  brother  being  referred  to,  but  not  named. 

"The  tradition  which  commonly  accompanies  this  tale,"  as  stated  by  Jamieson, 
"says  that  Lord  Thomas  was  aware  of  his  bride  being  the  sister  of  his  mistress, 
and  that  he  had  courted  her,  not  with  a  view  of  retaining  her  as  his  wife,  but  of 
securing  from  her  father  a  portion  for  fair  Annie,  whom  he  intended  to  marry." 

The  stanza  which  follows  the  three  quoted  above,  from  Motherwell's  version, 
appears  to  favour  this  tradition.   It  reads — 

"  Awa,  awa,  ye  forenoon  bride, 
Awa,  awa  f  rae  me ; 
I  wadna  hear  my  Annie  greet, 
For  a'  the  gold  I  got  wi'  thee." 

There  is  also  a  stanza  of  a  similar  tenor  in  the  version  from  Mrs.  Brown's  recitation. 


THOMAS  O'  TONDERDALE.  109 


40  "  If  the  Earl  of  Wemyss*  was  your  father, 

I  wot  sae  was  he  mine; 
And  it  shall  not  be  for  lack  of  gowd, 
That  ye  your  love  shall  tyne. 

41  "  Oh,  seven  ships  convey'd  me  here, 

When'I  came  o'er  the  faem; 
And  four  of  them  shall  stay  with  you, 
And  three  convey  me  hame. 

42  "But  when  I  reach  our  father's  house, 

They  may  laugh  me  to  scorn, 
That  I  shou'd  leave  a  bride  betroth 'd, 
Gae  hame  a  maid  forlorn." 


THOMAS  0'  YONDERDALE. 


Abridged  from  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i., 
p.  221. 

This  ballad  resembles,  in  some  respects,  both  "Lord  Thomas  and 
Fair  Annie,"  which  immediately  precedes,  and  "Lord  Beichan,"' 
which  immediately  follows  it. 

1  Ladt  Maisry  lives  intil  a  bower ; 

She  never  wore  but  what  she  wou'd ; 
Her  gowns  were  of  the  silk  sae  fine, 
Her  coats  stood  up  with  bolts  of  gowd. 

2  Mony  a  knight  thefe  courted  her, 

And  gentlemen  of  high  degree ; 
But  it  was  Thomas  o'  Yonderdale 
That  gain'd  the  love  of  this  ladye. 

3  He  haunted  her  intil  her  bow'r. 

He  haunted  her  baith  night  and  day; 
But  when  he  gain'd  her  virgin  love, 
To  an  unco  land  he  hied  away. 

4  He  hadna  been  on  unco  ground, 

A  month,  a  month,  but  barely  three. 
Till  he  has  courted  anither  maid. 
And  quite  forgotten  fair  Maisry. 

•  The  family  of  Wemyss  Is,  as  stated  by  Sibbald,  lineally  descended  from  Macdaff, 
Earl  of  Fife,  which  statement  of  his  seems  to  be  borne  out  by  ancient  charters; 
but  as  the  title  of  Earl  of  Wemyss  was  first  conferred  in  1633  on  Sir  John  Wemyss, 
Lord  Wemyss  of  Elcho,  the  ballad,  if  It  refers  to  one  of  that  family  at  all,  must  refer 
to  an  ancestor  of  the  Earl's. 


110  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


5  But  ae  night  as  he  lay  in  bed, 

A  wae  and  dreary  dream  dream'd  he, — 
That  Maisry  stood  by  his  bed-side, 
Upbraiding  him  for  perfidie. 

6  Then  he  call'd  on  his  little  boy, — 

"  Bring  me  candle,  that  I  may  see ; 
And  ye  maun  quickly  rin  this  night 
With  a  letter  to  a  gay  ladye." 

7  "  It  is  my  duty  you  to  serve, 

To  bring  you  coal  and  candle  light; 
And  fain  wou'd  I  your  errand  rin, 
If  'twere  to  Lady  Maisry  bright. 

8  "Tho'  I  were  sae,  I  scarce  cou'd  gang; 

The  night  sae  dark,  I  scarce  cou'd  see; 
I  wou'd  creep  on  my  hands  and  knees 
With  a  message  to  her  frae  thee." 

9  "  Win  up,  win  up,  my  bonnie  boy. 

To  do  my  bidding  ye  blithe  will  be; 
To  Maisry  ye  maun  quickly  rin, 
With  this  message  to  her  frae  me. 

10  "Ye '11  bid  her  dress  in  gowns  of  silk, 

Likewise  in  coats  of  ci-amasie ; 
Ye '11  bid  her  come  alang  with  you. 
Lord  Thomas'  wedding  for  to  see. 

11  "Ye'll  bid  her  graith  her  steed  with  gowd, 

And  ye  will  likewise  bid  her  hing 
On  ilka  tip  of  her  horse  mane 
Twa  siller  bells  to  sweetly  ring. 

12  "And  on  the  tor  of  her  saddle, 

A  courtly  bird  to  sweetly  sing; 
Her  bridle  reins  of  siller  fine. 

And  stirrups  by  her  side  to  hing." 

13  She  dress'd  her  in  the  finest  silk. 

Her  coats  were  of  the  cramasie ; 
And  she 's  away  to  unco  land. 
Lord  Thomas'  wedding  for  to  see. 

14  At  ilka  tip  of  her  horse  mane 

Twa  siller  bells  did  sweetly  ring; 
And  on  the  tor  of  her  saddle 
A  courtly  bird  did  sweetly  sing. 


THOMAS   O'  YONDERDALE.  Ill 


15  The  bells  they  rang,  the  bird  he  sang, 

As  they  rade  o'er  a  pleasant  plain, 
Where  they  met  with  Lord  Thomas'  bride 
Wending  on  with  her  bridal  train. 

16  The  bride  she  turn'd  her  round  about, — 

"I  wonder  much  who  this  may  be? 
It  surely  is  the  Scotish  queen, 
Come  here  our  wedding  for  to  see." 

17  Out  then  spake  Lord  Thomas'  boy, — 

"  She  maunna  lift  her  head  sae  hie ; 
But  it 's  Lord  Thomas'  first  true  love 
Come  here  your  wedding  for  to  see." 

18  Out  then  spake  Lord  Thomas'  bride — 

I  wyte  the  tear  did  blind  her  e'e, — 

"If  this  be  Lord  Thomas'  first  true  love, 

I'm  sair  afraid  he'll  ne'er  ha'e  me." 

19  Then  in  came  Lady  Maisry  fair, 

Lovely  and  grand  she  did  appear; 
"What  is  your  will  now.  Lord  Thomas, 
This  day,  ye  know,  ye  call'd  me  here?" 

20  "Come  hither  by  me,  ye  lily  flower, 

Come  hither,  and  set  ye  down  by  me; 
Ye  are  the  ane  I've  call'd  upon. 
And  ye  my  wedded  wife  maim  be." 

21  Then  in  it  came  Lord  Thomas'  bride. 

Primly  and  trimly  in  she  came ; 
"  What  is  your  will  now,  Lord  Thomas, 
This  day,  ye  know,  ye  call'd  me  hame?" 

22  "  Ye  ha'e  come  on  hired  horseback, 

But  ye'se  gae  hame  in  coach  sae  free; 
For  here's  the  flower  into  my  bower, 
I  mean  my  wedded  wife  shall  be." 


23 


"Then  ye  maun  part  your  lands,  Thomas, 
And  part  them  in  divisions  three ; 

Gi'e  twa  of  them  to  your  ae  brother. 
And  cause  your  brother  marry  me." 


24     "I  winna  part  my  lands,"  he  said, 
"  For  ony  woman  that  I  see; 
My  brother  he  is  a  landed  knight, 
Will  wed  nane  but  he  will  for  me." 


112  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


LORD  BEICHAN  AND  SUSIE  PYE. 

Versions  of  this  highly  popular  and  apparently  ancient  ballad 
have  appeared  as  under : — 

I.   "  Young  Beichan  and  Susie  Pye." 
II.   "  Young  Bekie." 

Both  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  117  and 
127.  Mr.  Jamieson  says  that  these  ballads  "(both  on  the 
same  subject)  are  given  from  copies  taken  from  Mrs. 
Brown's  recitation,  collated  with  two  other  copies  pro- 
cured from  Scotland  :  one  in  MS. ;  another  very  good  one. 
{)rinted  for  the  stalls ;  a  third,  in  the  possession  of  the 
ate  Reverend  Jonathan  Boucher,  of  Epsom,  taken  from 
recitation  in  the  North  of  England  ;  and  a  fourth,  about 
one-third  as  long  as  the  others,  which  the  editor  picked 
off  an  old  wall  in  Piccadilly." — Prefatory  note,  p.  117. 

III.  One  in  "  Scarce  Ancient  Ballads,   Peterhead,  1819."    [Aber- 

deen, 1822?] 

IV.  "  Lord  Beichan  and  Susie  Pye." — Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish 

Ballads,  p.  260. 
V.  A  portion  of  a  version,  consisting  of  "prose  and  rhyme 
intermixed,"  given  from  the  recitation  of  "a  story-teller," 
by  Motherwell,  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xv.  Stanza 
10  is  derived  from  this  source. 
VI.  "Young  Bondwell,"  in  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of 
Ancient  Ballads,  Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  1,  and  note, 
p.  82. 

This  last  and  "Young  Bekie"  (II.)  are  almost  identical 
in  incident. 
VII.  "An  English  traditional  version,  communicated  by "  J.  H. 
Dixon  to  The  Local  Historian's  Table  Book,  vol.  i.,  New- 
castle, 1842;  and  subsequently  given  in  Ancient  Poems, 
Ballads,  and  Songs,  Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  85. 
VIII.  "Lord  Bateman,"  the  common  English  broadside,  p.  95 
of  the  work  last  cited.  Probably  identical  with  or 
similar  to  the  ballad  picked  off  the  "  wall  in  Piccadilly  " 
by  Jamieson. 

There  is  also  an  edition  of ' '  Lord  Bateman,"  with  comic  illustrations, 
three  additional  verses,  and  notes  of  a  burlesque  character,  by  George 
Cruickshank. 

The  ballad  which  follows  is  collated  chiefly  from  the  versions 
numbered  I.  and  IV.,  with  the  addition  of  two  stanzas  from  recitatioD, 
from  which  source  sundry  emendations  also  are  derived.  In  each  of 
the  two  versions  just  specified  the  first  line  announces  "London" 
as  the  birthplace  of  "  Young  Beichan."  The  first  has  the  following 
curious  anachronism : — 

"  And  they  have  made  him  trail  the  wine, 
And  spices  on  his  fair  bodie;" 


LORD   BEICHAN  AND   SUSIE  PYE.  113 


although  it  is  well  known  that  the  use  of  wine  is  forbidden  by  the 
Koran,  and  could  therefore  only  be  indulged  in  clandestinely. 

The  origin  of  the  ballad  was  first  pointed  out  by  Motherwell; 
whose  elaborate  account  of  it  and  its  hero  is  as  follows  : — 

"  This  popular  ballad,  which  is  unquestionably  an  English  produc- 
tion (or,  at  all  event?,  of  English  origin),  exists  in  many  diiferent 
shapes  in  Scotland.  It  is  of  unquestionable  antiquity ;  and  the  young 
Beichan,  or  Bekie,  whose  captivity,  sufiPerings,  and  subsequent 
marriage  with  his  deliverer,  it  records,  is  no  less  ^  personage  than 
the  father  of  the  celebrated  Thomas  A  Becket.  In  The  Life  of 
Thomas  Becket,  quoted  in  Walton's  History  of  English  Poetry,  vol. 
i.,  p.  19,  occurs  this  notice: — 

'  Ther  was  Gilbert,  Thomas  fadir,  dame  the  trewS  man  and  gode, 

He  loved  God  and  holi  cherche  setthe  he  witte  onderstode ; 

The  cross  to  the  holi  cherche  in  his  youth  he  nom, 

.    .    .    anyd  on  Rychard  that  was  his  mon  to  Jerlem  come, 

Ther  hy  dede,  here  pylgriniage  in  holi  stedes  faste, 

So  that  among  Sarazyns  hy  wer  nom  at  laste.' 

"When  so  nomed,  it  is  probable  that  the  Saracen  lady  fell  in  love 
with  him.  Gilbert  Becket  must  have  been  a  distinguished  individual 
in  his  day.  He  appears  to  haVe  been  portgrave  of  London,  a  title 
now  changed  to  that  of  mayor.  See  A  Brief  Chronicle  of  the  Success 
of  Times,  London,  1611,  p.  574.  That  he  was  a  person  of  great 
estate,  Langtoft  bears  witness : — 

'There  was  his  chancelere,  Thomas  of  London  bom, 
Saint  Thomas  fader  I  fynd  hight  Thomas  (Gilbert)  Beket; 
In  London  of  noble  kjrnd  and  moste  of  alle  was  let, 
A  riche  man  he  was,  mot  spend  thre  hundreth  pound.' 

— Langtoft's  Chronicle,  apud  Heme,  p.  128. 

"  Hollingshed,  speaking  of  the  saint,  says: — 'This  Becket  was 
borne  in  Ilondon,  his  father  hight  Gilbert,  but  his  mother  was  a 
Syrian  bom,  and  by  religion  a  Saracen.'  To  the  same  effect  Baker : — 
"The  man  was  Thomas  Becket,  bom  in  London.  His  father,  one 
Gilbert  Becket, — his  mother  an  outlandish  woman  of  the  country  of 
Syria.^  Fox,  in  his  Acts  and  Monuments,  vol.  i.,  p.  267,  London, 
1641,  affords  another  notice: — 'And  first  here  to  omit  the  programe 
of  him,  and  his  mother  named  Rose,  whom  Polyd.  Virgilius  falsely 
nameth  to  be  a  Saracen,  when  indeed  she  came  out  of  the  parts 
bordering  neere  to  Normandy,  &c.'  Though  she  came  from  the 
quarter  Fox  says  she  came  from,  that  did  not  prevent  her  from  being  a 
Saracen, — a  designation  as  general  then  as  heathen  is  at  the  present  day. 

"  These  notices  will  afford  evidence  sufficient  to  warrant  us  referring 
the  ballad  to  the  individual  now  pointed  out.  An  inspection  of  some 
of  the  numerous  legends  touching  the  blessed  martyr.  Saint  Thomas 
of  Canterbury,  will  probably  supply  many  other  interesting  par- 
ticulars, tending  more  completely  to  connect  and  identify  them." 
— Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  note,  p.  xv. 

Professor  Child  corroborates  Motherwell's  ojunion,  and  states,  that 
"  an  inspection  of  the  first  hundred  lines  of  Robert  of  Gloucester's 
Life  and  Martyrdom  of  Thomas  Beket  (edited  for  the  Percy  Society 

I 


114  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


by  W.  H.  Black,  vol.  xix. )  will  leave  no  doubt  that  the  hero  of  this 
ancient  and  beautiful  tale  is  veritably  Gilbert  Becket,  father  of  the 
renowned  Saint  Thomas  of  Canterbury. 

"Robert  of  Gloucester's  story  coincides  in  all  essential  particulars 
with  the  traditionary  legend  ;  but  Susie  Pye  is  unfortunately  spoken 
of  in  the  chronicle  by  no  other  name  than  the  daughter  of  the  Saracen 
Prince  Admiraud. " — Professor  Child's  English  and  Scottish  Ballads, 
vol.  iv.,  p.  1. 

After  such  convincing  statements  from  two  such  reliable  autho- 
rities, it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  notice  the  suggestion  made  to 
and  noted  by  Jamieson,  "that  the  names  in"  this  and  the  "suc- 
ceeding romantic  tales  ought  to  be,  not  Beichan  [or  Bekie],  but 
Buchan"  {Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  134);  or  the  more  recent 
theory  of  the  editor  or  annotator  of  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of 
Ancient  Ballads  (Percy  Society,  No.  Iviii.),  who  surmises  "  that  the 
hero  was  one  of  the  ancient  and  noble  border  family  of  Bartram  or 
Bertram"  (note  to  "Young  Bond  well,"  p.  84). 

1  Lord  Beichan  was  a  noble  lord, 

A  noble  lord  of  high  degree ; 
He  placed  himself  on  good  shipboard, 
And  Bail'd  away  o'er  the  salt,  salt  sea. 

2  He  sail'd  far  south,  he  sail'd  far  east, 

Until  he  pass'd  all  Christendie ; 
He  sail'd  far  south,  he  sail'd  far  east. 
Until  he  came  to  Pagandie. 

3  He  view'd  the  fashions  of  that  land. 

Their  way  of  worship  too  view'd  he ; 
But  to  Mahound  or  Termagant, 

Lord  Beichan  wou'd  not  bend  a  knee. 

4  For  Beichan  was  a  Christian  born, 

And  such  resolved  to  live  and  dee, 
So  he  was  ta'en  by  a  savage  Moor, 
Who  treated  him  right  cruel  lie, 

5  In  ilka  shoulder  was  put  a  bore, 

In  ilka  bore  was  put  a  tree ; 
And  heavy  loads  they  made  him  draw, 
Till  he  was  sick,  and  like  to  dee.* 

6  Then  he  was  cast  in  a  dungeon  deep, 

Where  he  cou'd  neither  hear  nor  see ; 
And  seven  long  years  they  kept  him  there. 
Both  cold  and  hunger  sore  to  dree. 

♦  "Till  of  his  life  he  was  quite  wearie."— FartaJtw. 


LORD  BEICHAN  AND  SUSIE  PYE.  115 


7  The  Moor  he  had  an  only  daughter, 

The  damsel's  name  was  Susie  Pye ; 
And  ilka  day  as  she  took  the  air, 
Lord  Beichan's  prison  she  pass'd  by. 

8  So  it  fell  jout  upon  a  day, 

She  heard  Lord  Beichan  sadly  sing; 
And  this  the  sad  and  hopeless  lay 
Of  sorrow  in  her  ear  did  ring : 

9  "  My  hounds  they  all  go  masterless, 

My  hawks  they  flee  from  tree  to  tree, 
My  younger  brother  heirs  my  land  ; 
Fair  England  again  I  ne'er  will  see. 

10  "  But  were  I  free  as  I  have  been. 

On  good  shipboard  to  sail  the  sea, 
I'd  turn  my  face  to  fair  England, 

And  sail  no  more  to  a  strange  countrie." 

11  Young  Susie  Pye  had  a  tender  heart, 

Tho'  she  was  come  of  a  cruel  kin  5 
And  sore  she  sigh'd,  she  knew  not  why, 
For  him  who  lay  that  dungeon  in. 

12  "  Oh,  were  I  but  the  prison  keeper. 

As  I'm  a  lady  of  high  degree, 
I  soon  wou'd  set  this  youth  at  large. 
And  send  him  to  his  own  countrie." 

13  The  whole  night  long  no  rest  she  got, 

Lord  Beichan's  song  for  thinking  on; 
And  when  the  morn  began  to  dawn. 
She  to  his  prison  door  has  gone. 

14  She  gave  the  keeper  a  piece  of  gold, 

And  many  pieces  of  white  monie, 
To  unlock  to  her  the  prison  doors, 
That  she  Lord  Beichan  might  go  see. 

15  The  keeper  open'd  the  prison  doors, 

I  wot  he  open'd  two  or  three. 
Ere  they  came  where  Lord  Beichan  stood, 
Chain'd  by  the  middle  to  a  tree. 

IG    Lord  Beichan  he  did  marvel  sore. 

The  Moor's  fair  daughter  there  to  see ; 
But  took  her  for  some  captive  maid, 
Brought  from  some  land  in  Christendie. 


116  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  For  when  she  saw  his  wretched  plight, 

Her  tears  fell  fast  and  bitterlie ; 
And  thus  the  Moor's  fair  daughter  spake 
Unto  Lord  Beichan  tenderlie  : 

18  "  Oh,  have  ye  any  lands,"  she  said, 

"  Or  castles  in  your  own  countrie. 
That  ye  cou'd  give  to  a  lady  fair, 
From  prison  strong  to  set  you  free?" 

19  "  Oh,  I  have  lands  both  fair  and  braid. 

And  I  have  castles  fair  to  see ; 
But  I  wou'd  give  them  all,"  he  said, 
"  From  prison  strong  to  be  set  free." 

20  "  Plight  me  the  truth  of  your  right  hand, 

The  truth  of  it  here  plight  to  me, 
That  till  seven  years  are  past  and  gone, 
No  lady  ye  will  wed  but  me." 

21  "  For  seven  long  years  I  do  make  a  vow, 

And  seven  long  years  I'll  keep  it  true, 
If  you  wed  with  no  other  man. 
No  other  lady  I'll  wed  but  you." 

22  Then  she  has  bribed  the  prison-keeper, 

With  store  of  gold  and  white  monie, 
To  loose  the  chain  that  bound  him  so. 
And  set  Lord  Beichan  once  more  free. 

23  To  eat  she  gave  him  good  spice-cake, 

To  drink  she  gave  him  blood-red  wine ; 
And  bade  him  sometimes  think  of  her. 
Who  kindly  freed  him  out  of  pine. 

24  A  ring  she  from  her  finger  broke. 

And  half  of  it  to  him  gave  she,^ 

*'  Keep  it,  to  mind  you  of  the  maid 

Who  out  of  prison  set  you  free." 

25  She  had  him  put  on  good  shipboard,  _ 

That  he  might  safely  cross  the  main; 
Then  said,  "Adieu!  my  Christian  lord, 
I  fear  we  ne'er  may  meet  again." 

26  Lord  Beichan  tum'd  him  round  about, 

And  lowly,  lowly  bent  his  knee ; 
"  Ere  seven  years  are  come  and  gone, 
I'll  take  you  to  my  own  countrie." 


LORD  BEICHAN  AND  SUSIE  PYE.  117 


27  But  when  he  came  to  London  town, 

A  happy,  happy  man  was  he ; 
The  ladies  all  around  him  throng'd, 
To  see  him  come  frae  slaverie. 

28  His  mother  she  had  died  of  grief, 

His  kitidred  all  were  dead  but  he ; 
His  lands  they  all  were  lying  waste, 
In  ruins  were  his  castles  free. 

29  No  porter  stood  to  tend  his  gate. 

No  human  creature  cou'd  he  see; 
Nought  but  the  screeching  owls  and  bats, 
Had  he  to  bear  hirp  companie. 

30  But  gold  works  like  a  magic  spell, 

And  he  had  gold  and  jewels  free; 
So  soon  his  halls  were  richly  deck'd, 
While  pages  served  on  bended  knee. 

31  Both  lords  and  ladies  throng'd  his  halls, 

His  table  rang  with  mirth  and  glee ; 
And  he  soon  forgot  the  eastern  maid, 
"Who  freed  him  out  of  slaverie. 

32  But  Susie  Pye  cou'd  get  no  rest, 

Nor  day  nor  night  cou'd  happy  be; 
For  something  whisper'd  in  her  breast, 
"  Lord  Beichan  will  prove  false  to  thee." 

33  So  she  set  foot  on  good  shipboard. 

Well  mann'd  and  fitted  gallantlie ; 

She  bade  adieu  to  her  father's  towers. 

And  left  behind  her  own  countrie. 

34  Then  she  sailed  west,  and  she  sailed  north. 

She  sailed  far  o'er  the  salt  sea  faem ; 
And  after  many  weary  days. 

Unto  fair  England's  shore  she  came. 

35  She  landed  there  in  wealth  and  state, 

And  journey 'd  with  a  gallant  train. 
Till  she  met  with  a  shepherd  youth, 
When  thus  she  did  afccost  the  swain  : 

36  "  Oh,  whose  are  all  those  flocks  of  sheep. 

And  whose  are  all  those  herds  of  kye, 
And  whose  are  all  those  lands  so  braid. 
With  many  more  that  I've  pass'd  by  ?  " 


118  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


37  "  Oh,  those  are  all  Lord  Beichan's  sheep, 

Oh,  those  are  all  Lord  Beichan's  kye, 
And  those  are  all  Lord  Beichan's  lands, 
And  many  more  that  you've  pass'd  by." 

38  "  What  news  of  him,  thou  shepherd  youth, 

What  news  hast  thou  to  tell  to  me?" 
"  Such  news,  such  news,  thou  lady  fair, 
Was  ne'er  before  in  this  countrie. 

39  "  For  he  has  betroth'd  a  lady  gay, 

'Tis  now  full  thirty  days  and  thred; 
But  will  not  mate  with  his  fair  bride, 
For  love  of  one  beyond  the  sea." 

40  Then  in  her  pocket  she  pui  her  hatid, 

And  gave  him  gold  and  white  monie; 
"  Here,  take  ye  that,  my  shepherd  youth, 
For  the  good  news  ye  tell  to  me." 

41  Then  she  went  to  Lord  Beichan's  gate, 

And  she  tirl'd  gently  at  the  pin, 
And  ask'd — "  Is  this  Lord  Beichan's  hall. 
And  is  that  noble  lord  within?" 

42  The  porter  ready  answer  made, — ^ 

"  Oh  yes,  this  is  Lord  Beichafi's  hall; 
And  he  is  also  here  within, 

With  bride  and  guests  assembled  all." 

43  "  And  has  he  betroth'd  another  love, 

And  has  he  quite  forgotten  me. 
To  whom  he  plighted  his  love  and  troth, 
When  from  prison  I  did  him  free  ? 

44  "  Bear  to  your  lord,  ye  proud  porter, 

This  parted  ring,  the  plighted  token 
Of  mutual  love,  and  mutual  vows. 
By  him,  alas !  now  falsely  broken. 

45  "  And  bid  him  send  one  bit  of  bread. 

And  bid  him  send  one  cup  of  wine. 
Unto  the  maid  he  hath  betray'd, 
Tho'  she  freed  him  from  cruel  pine.'* 

46  The  porter  hasten'd  to  his  lord. 

And  fell  down  on  his  bended  knee: 
"  My  lord,  a  lady  stands  at  your  gate, 
The  fairest  lady  I  e'er  did  see. 


LORD   BEICHAN  AND  SUSIE  PYE.  119 


47  "  On  every  finger  she  has  a  ring, 

And  on  her  middle  finger  three; 
With  as  much  gold  above  her  brow- 
As  wou'd  buy  an  earldom  to  me.'* 

48  It 's  out  then  sp&ke  the  bride*8  mother, 

Both  loud 'and  angry  out  spake  she, — 
"  Ye  might  have  excepted  our  bonnie  bridej 
If  not  more  of  this  companie." 

49  "  My  dame,  your  daughter's  fair  enough^ 

Her  beauty 's  not  denied  by  me; 
But  were  she  ten  times  fairer  still. 
With  this  lady  ne'er  compare  cou'd  shei 

50  "  My  lord,  she  asks  one  bit  of  bread, 

And  bids  you  send  one  cup  of  wine ; 
And  to  remember  the  lady's  love, 
Who  freed  you  out  of  cruel  pine." 

51  Lord  Beichan  hied  him  down  the  stair,^*- 

Of  fifteen  steps  he  made  but  three, 
Until  he  came  to  Susie  Pye, 
Whom  he  did  kiss  most  tenderliej 

52  He 's  ta'en  her  by  the  lily  hand, 

And  led  her  to  his  noble  hall, 
Where  stood  his  sore-bewilder'd  bride, 
And  wedding  guests  assembled  all. 

53  Fair  Susie  blushing  look'd  around, 

Upon  the  lords  and  ladies  gay; 
Then  with  the  tear-drops  in  her  eyes, 
Unto  Lord  Beichan  she  did  say: 

54  "  Oh,  have  ye  ta'en  another  bride, 

And  broke  your  plighted  vows  to  me? 
Then  fare  thee  well,  my  Christian  lord, 
I'll  try  to  think  no  more  on  thee. 

55  "  But  sadly  I  will  wend  my  way. 

And  sadly  I  will  cross  the  sea, 
And  sadly  will  with  grief  and  shame 
Return  unto  my  own  countrie." 

56  "  Oh,  never,  never,  Susie  Pye, 

Oh,  never  more  shall  you  leave  me; 
This  night  you'll  be  my  wedded  wife. 
And  lady  of  my  lands  so  free." 


120  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


57  Syne  up  then  spake  the  bride's  mother, 

She  ne'er  before  did  speak  so  free, — 
"  You'll  not  forsake  my  dear  daughter, 
For  sake  of  her  from  Pagandie." 

58  "  Take  home,  take  home  your  daughter  dear, 

She 's  not  a  pin  the  worse  of  me; 
She  came  to  me  on  horseback  riding. 
But  shall  go  back  in  a  coach  and  three." 

59  Lord  Beichan  got  ready  another  wedding. 

And  sang,  with  heart  brimful  of  glee, — 
"  Oh,  I'll  range  no  more  in  foreign  lands, 
Since  Susie  Pye  has  cross'd  the  sea. 

60  "  Then  fy,*  gar  all  my  cooks  make  ready, 

And  fy !  gar  all  my  minstrels  play ; 

Gar  trumpets  sound,  and  bells  be  rung, 

For  this  js  my  true  wedding-day." 


YOUNG  BEKIE, 


From  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  127.  With  the 
addition  of  stanzas  4,  25  (first  half),  26,  27,  and  40  to  43  inclusive, 
from  "Young  Bondwell,"  but  somewhat  altered,  so  as  to  adapt  them 
to  Jamieson's  ballad.    See  introduction  to  preceding  ballad,  p.  112. 

1  Young  Bekie  was  as  brave  a  knight 

As  ever  sail'd  the  sea; 
And  he 's  done  him  to  the  court  of  France, 
To  serve  for  meat  and  fee. 

2  He  hadna  been  in  the  court  of  France 

A  twelvemonth,  nor  sae  lang, 
Till  he  fell  in  love  with  the  king's  daughter. 
And  was  thrown  in  prison  Strang. 

3  The  king  he  had  but  ae  daughter, 

Burd  Isbel  was  her  name  ; 
And  she  has  to  the  prison  gane, 
To  hear  the  prisoner's  mane. 

4  "  Oh,  if  my  father  get  word  of  this, 

At  hame,  in  his  ain  countrie. 
He  will  send  red  gowd  for  my  relief, 
And  a  bag  of  white  monie. 

*"Fy:"  haste. 


YOUNG  BEKIE.  121 


6     "Oh,  if  a  lady  wou'd  borrow  me, 
At  her  stirrup  I  wou'd  rin ; 
Oh,  if  a  widow  wou'd  borrow  me, 
I  wou'd  swear  to  be  her  son. 

6  "Oh,  if  a  virgin  wou'd  borrow  me, 

I  wou'd  wed  her  with  a  ring ; 
I'd  gi'e  her  halls,  I'd  gi'e  her  bow'rs, 
The  bonnie  towers  of  Linne." 

7  Oh,  barefoot,  barefoot  gaed  she  but, 

And  barefoot  came  she  ben; 
It  was  na  for  want  of  hose  and  shoon, 
Nor  time  to  put  them  on ; 

8  But  all  for  fear  that  her  father 

Wou'd  hear  her  makin'  din ; 
For  she  has  stown  the  prison  keys. 
And  gane  the  dungeon  in. 

9  And  when  she  saw  him,  young  Bekie, 

Wow,  but  her  heart  was  sair ! 
For  the  mice  but  and  the  bauld  rattons 
Had  eaten  his  yellow  hair. 

10  She 's  gotten  him  a  shaver  for  his  beard, 

A  comber  till  his  hair; 
Five  hundred  pounds  in  his  pocket. 
To  spend,  and  nae  to  spare. 

11  She 's  gi'en  him  a  steed  was  good  ia  need, 

And  a  saddle  of  royal  bane ;  * 
A  leash  of  hounds  of  ae  litter. 
And  Hector  called  ane. 

12  Atween  thir  twa  a  vow  was  made, 

'Twas  made  full  solemnlie, 
That  or  three  years  were  come  and  gane, 
Weel  married  they  shou'd  be. 

13  He  hadna  been  in 's  ain  countrie 

A  twelvemonth  till  an  end, 
Till  he 's  forced  to  marry  a  king's  daughter. 
Or  else  lose  all  his  land. 

14  "  Ohon,  alas  !  "  says  young  Bekie, 

"  I  kenna  what  to  dee  ; 
For  I  canna  win  to  Burd  Isbel, 
And  she  canna  come  to  me." 

•  Variation:  for  "bane,"  read  "  bend."— "  Young  Bond  well." 


122  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


15  Oh,  it  fell  out  upon  a  day 

Burd  Isbel  fell  asleep, 
And  up  it  starts  the  Billy  Blin, 
And  stood  at  her  bed  feet. 

16  "  Oh,  waken,  waken,  Burd  Isbel ; 

How  can  ye  sleep  so  soun', 
When  this  is  Bekie's  wedding-day, 
And  the  marriage  going  on?  * 

17  "Ye'U  do  ye  till  your  mither's  bow'f, 

As  fast  as  ye  can  gang; 
Arid  ye'll  take  three  of  your  mither's  Marys, 
To  hand  ye  unthocht  lang. 

18  "Ye'll  dress  yoursel'  in  the  red  scarlet, 

And  your  Marys  in  green  attire ; 
And  ye'll  put  girdles  about  your  middles, 
Well  worth  an  earl's  hire. 

19  "  Syne  ye'll  gang  down  by  yon  sea-side, 

And  down  by  yon  sea-strand ; 
And  bonnie  will  the  Hollans  boats 
Come  rowin'  till  your  hand. 

20  "  Ye'll  set  yoiir  milk-white  foot  on  board. 

Cry,  '  Hail  ye,  Domine ! ' 

And  I  will  be  the  steerer  o't. 

To  row  you  o'er  the  sea.'* 

21  She 's  gane  her  till  her  ttiither's  bow'r, 

As  fast  as  she  could  gang ; 
And  she 's  ta'en  twa  of  her  mither's  Marys, 
To  baud  her  unthocht  langi 

22  She 's  drest  hersel'  in  the  red  scarlet, 

Her  Marys  in  green  attire ; 
And  they've  put  girdles  about  their  middles, 
Well  worth  an  earl's  hire. 

23  And  they  gaed  down  by  yon  sea-side. 

And  down  by  yon  sea-strand; 
And  sae  bonnie  as  the  Hollans  boats 
Came  rowin'  till  their  hand. 

24  She  set  her  milk-white  foot  on  board, 

Cried,  "  Hail  ye,  Domine ! " 
And  the  Billy  Blin  was  the  steerer  o't, 
To  row  her  o'er  the  sea. 

*  The  countries  could  not  be  far  apart,  or  the  fair  Isbel  and  her  Marys  must  havo 
nad  a  marvellously  quick  passage  under  the  pilotage  of  "  the  Billy  Blin." 


YOUNG  BEKIE.  123 


25  So  they  sail'd  on,  and  farther  on. 

Till  they  came  to  the  Tay; 
And  when  she  came  to  Bekie's  gate, 
She  heard  the  music  play, 

26  When  the  porter  came  to  her  call, — 

"What  news  ha'e  ye  ?  "  says  she ; 
"  Is  there  any  wedding  in  this  place. 
Or  any  soon  to  be?" 

27  "  There  is  a  wedding  in  this  place, 

A  wedding  very  soon ; 
For  Bekie,  lord  of  this  domain, 
Marries  this  day  ere  noon." 

28  She  put  hef  hand  in  her  pocket, 

And  ga'e  to  him  marks  three ; 
"  Hae,  take  ye  that,  ye  proud  porter, 
Bid  your  master  speak  to  nie." 

29  Oh,  when  that  he  came  up  the  stair, 

He  fell  down  on  his  knee : 
He  hail*d  the  king,  and  he  hail'd  the  queen, 
And  he  hail'd  young  Bekie. 

30  "  Oh,  I  have  been  portei*  at  your  gates 

This  thirty  years  and  three; 
But  there  are  three  ladies  at  them  now. 
Their  like  I  did  never  see. 

31  "  There 's  ane  of  them  drest  in  ted  scarlet, 

And  twa  in  green  attire ; 
And  they  ha'e  girdles  about  their  middles 
Well  worth  an  earl's  hire." 

32  Then  out  and  spake  thfe  biei'dly  bride, 

Was  all  gowd  to  the  chin : 
"  If  she  be  fine  without,"  she  says, 
"  We 's  be  as  fine  within." 

33  Then  up  it  starts  him  young  Bekie, 

And  the  tear  was  in  his  e'e: 
"  I'll  lay  my  life  it 's  Burd  Isbel 
Come  o'er  the  sea  to  me." 

34  Oh,  quickly  he  ran  down  the  stair ; 

And  when  he  saw  'twas  she, 
He  kindly  took  her  in  his  arms, 
And  kiss'd  her  tenderlie. 


124  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


35  "Oh,  ha'e  ye  forgotten  now,  young  Bekie, 

The  vow  ye  made  to  me, 
When  I  took  you  out  of  prison  Strang, 
When  ye  was  condemn'd  to  dee  ? 

36  "I  ga'e  you  a  steed  was  good  in  need, 

And  a  saddle  of  royal  bane ; 
A  leash  of  hounds  of  ae  litter, 
And  Hector  called  ane," 

37  It  was  well  kenn'd  what  the  lady  said 

Was  true  as  true  cou'd  be ; 
For  at  the  first  word  the  lady  spake, 
The  hound  fell  at  her  knee. 

38  "  Take  hame,  take  hame  your  daughter  dear ; 

A  blessing  gang  her  wi'; 
For  I  maun  marry  her  wha  has 
Come  o'er  the  sea  to  me." 

39  "  Is  this  the  custom  of  your  house, 

Or  when  was  it  brought  in, 
To  bring  a  maid  here  to  be  wed. 
To  gae  back  a  maid  at  e'en?" 

40  "  An  asking,  an  asking,  fair  lady. 

If  such  ye'll  grant  to  me ; " — 
"  Ask  on,  ask  on,  my  young  Bekie ; 
What  may  your  aslqng  be?  "  » 

41  "  Five  hunder  pound  to  you  I'll  gi'e, 

Of  gowd  and  white  monie. 
If  ye'll  wed  John,  my  ain  cousin,-r- 
He  looks  as  braw  as  me!" 

42  "  Keep  well  your  monie,  Bekie,"  she  said, 

"Nane  do  I  ask  of  thee; 
Your  cousin  John  was  my  first  love, 
My  husband  now  he 's  be." 

43  Young  Bekie  was  married  to  Burd  Isbel, 

And  John,  ere  day  was  dune, 
Was  married  to  the  morning  bride, 
In  the  merry  halls  of  Linne. 

The  king  and  queen,  who  were  forcing  "Young  Bekie"  to  wed 
their  daughter,  suddenly  subside,  and  without  either  note,  comment, 
or  protest,  permit  this  interesting  young  couple  to  follow  the  bent  of 
their  respective  inclinations. 


HYNDE  HORN.  125 


HYNDE  HORN. 

"An  imperfect  copy  of  this  very  old  ballad  appeared  in  Select 
Scottish  Songs,  Ancient  and  Modem,  edited  by  Mr.  Cromek ;  but 
that  gentleman  seems  not  to  have  been  aware  of  the  jewel  he  had 

Eicked  up,  as  it  is  passed  oVer  without  a  single  remark.  We  have 
een  fortunate  enough  to  recover  two  copies  from  recitation,  which, 
joined  to  the  stanzas  preserved  by  Mr.  Cromek,  have  enabled  us  to 
present  it  to  the  piibhc  in  its  present  complete  state.  Though. 
'  Hynd  Horn '  possesses  no  claims  upon  the  reader's  attention  on. 
account  of  its  poetry,  yet  it  is  highly  valuable,  as  illustrative  of  the 
history  of  Romantic  Ballad.  In  fact,  it  is  nothing  else  than  a  portion 
of  the  ancient  English  Metrical  Romance  of  '  Kyng  Horn,'  which 
some  benevolent  pen,  peradventure  '  for  luf  of  the  lewed  man,'  hath 
stripped  of  its  '  quainte  Inglis,'  and  given — 

'In  syinple  specliB  as  he  conthe, 
That  is  lightest  in  manne's  mouthe.' 

Of  this  the  reader  wiU  be  at  once  conAonced,  if  he  compares  it  witU. 
the  Romance  alluded  to,  or  rather  with  the  fragment  of  the  one  pre- 
served in  the  Auchinleck  MS. ,  entitled,  *  Home  Childe  and  MaideU 
RiminUd,'  both  of  which  ancient  poems  are  to  be  found  in  Ritson'a 
Metrical  Romances. 

"It  is  perhaps  unnecessary  to  remind  the  reader  that  Hend,  or 
Hynd,  means  'courteous,  kind,  affable,'  &c.,  an  epithet  which,  we 
doubt  not.  the  hero  of  the  ballad  was  fully  entitled  to  assume." — 
Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  35. 

The  opening  stanza  of  MothetWell's  version  is  as  follows : — 

"NSar  Edinburgh  -was  a  young  child  born, 
With  a  hey-HUe-lu,  and  a  how-lo-lan : 
And  his  name  it  was  called  Young  Hynd  Horn, 
And  the  birk  and  the  brume  blooms  bonnie." 

The  refrain,  as  given  in  italics,  forms  the  second  and  fourth  lines  of 
every  stanza, — a  iovva  by  no  means  rare  in  Scotish,  and  very  commoix 
in  Scandinavian  ballads. 

Versions  omitting  the  refrain  were  subsequently  published  by 
Kinloch,  in  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  135,  as  "  recovered  from 
recitation  in  the  North;"  and  by  Buehan,  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs, 
voL  il,  p.  268. 

"  All  the  poems  relating  to  Horn,  in  French  and  English,  including 
the  Scottish  ballads  above  mentioned,  are  collected  by  Michel  in  a 
beautiful  volume  of  the  Bannatyne  Club,  Horn  et  Bimenhild,  Paris, 
1845." — Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  iv.,  p.  17. 

Kinloch' s  and  Buehan' s  version  are  very  similar.  In  fact,  the  latter 
appears  to  be  simply  a  more  perfect  copy  of  the  former,  and  it  is  the 
one  here  chiefly  used,  with  additions  aud  emendations  from  Mother- 
well's, and  editorial  emendations  on  both. 

The  metrical  romance  of  "King  Horn,"  or  "Home  Childe,  and 
Maiden  RymenUd,"  is  thus  summarized  by  Warton: — 


126  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"Mury,  king  of  the  Saracens,  lands  in  the  kingdom  of  Suddene, 
where  he  kills  the  king  named  Allof.  The  queen,  Godylt,  escapes ; 
but  Mury  seizes  on  her  son  Home,  a  beautiful  youth,  aged  fifteen 
years,  and  puts  him  into  a  galley  with  two  of  his  play-fellows, 
Athulph  and  Fykeuyld :  the  vessel  being  driven  on  the  kingdom  of 
Westnesse,  the  young  prince  is  found  by  Aylmer,  king  of  that 
country,  brought  to  court,  and  delivered  to  Athelbraa  his  steward,  to 
be  educated  in  hawking,  harping,  tilting,  and  other  courtly  accom- 
pUshments.  Here  the  Princess  Rymenild  falls  in  love  with  him, 
declares  her  passion,  and  is  betrothed.  Home,  in  consequence  of  this 
engagement,  leaves  the  princess  for  seven  years — to  demonstrate, 
according  to  the  ritual  of  chivalry,  that  by  seeking  and  accomplishing 
dangerous  enterprises  he  deserved  her  affection.  He  proves  a  most 
valorous  and  invincible  knight ;  and  at  the  end  of  seven  years,  having 
killed  King  Mury,  recovered  his  father's  kingdom,  and  achieved 
many  signal  exploits,  recovers  the  Princess  Eymenild  from  the 
hands  of  his  treacherous  knight  and  companion,  Fykenyld,  carries 
her  in  triumph  to  his  own  country,  and  there  reigns  with  her  in  great 
s])lendour  and  prosperity." — History  of  English  Poetry,  vol.  i.,  p.  40. 

The  ballad,  even  in  its  fragmentary  and  "  mutilated  state,  still 
retains  the  couplet  measure  of  the  romance,  though  it  is  otherwise 
greatly  altered  from  its  ancient  text.  It  appears,  however,  to  relate 
to  that  part  of  the  romance  where  Home,  after  being  betrothed  to 
the  princess,  departs  in  search  of  adventures,  and  returns,  after  the 
lapse  of  his  probationary  exile,  when  he  recovers  the  princess  from 
the  hands  of  his  rival." — Kinloch's  A7icient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  137. 

1  "Oh,  it's  Hynde  Horn  fair,  and  it's  Hynde  Horn  free; 
Oh,  where  were  you  born,  and  in  what  countrie?" 

"  In  a  far  distant  countrie  I  was  born ; 

But  of  home  and  friends  I  am  quite  forlorn." 

2  Oh,  it's  seven  long  years  he  served  the  king, 
But  wages  from  him  he  ne'er  got  a  thing; 
Oh,  it's  seven  long  years  he  served,  I  ween, 
And  all  for  love  ot  the  king's  daughter  Jean. 

3  Oh,  he  gave  to  his  love  a  silver  wand, 
Her  sceptre  of  rule  over  fair  Scotland; 
With  three  singing  laverocks  set  thereon, 
For  to  mind  her  of  him  when  he  was  gone. 

4  And  his  love  gave  to  him  a  gay  gold  ring, 
With  three  shining  diamonds  set  therein; 
Oh,  his  love  gave  to  him  this  gay  gold  ring, 
Of  virtue  and  value  above  all  thing; 

5  Saying — "  While  the  diamonds  do  keep  their  hue, 
You  will  know  that  my  love  holds  fast  and  true; 
But  when  the  diamonds  grow  pale  and  wan, 

I'll  be  dead,  or  wed  to  another  man." 


HTNDE  nORN.  127 


6  Then  the  sails  were  spread,  and  away  sail'd  he; 
Oh,  he  sail'd  away  to  a  far  countrie ; 

And  when  he  had  been  seven  years  to  sea, 
Hynde  Horn  look'd  to  see  how  his  ring  might  be. 

7  But  when  Hynde  Horn  look'd  the  diamonds  upon, 
Oh,  he  saw  that  tbey  were  both  pale  and  wan; 
And  at  once  he  knew,  from  their  alter'd  hue. 
That  his  love  was  dead  or  had  proved  untrue. 

8  Oh,  the  sails  were  spread,  and  away  sail'd  he 
Back  over  the  sea  to  his  own  countrie; 
Then  he  left  the  ship  when  it  came  to  land, 
And  he  met  an  auld  beggar  upon  the  strand. 

9  "  What  news,  thou  auld  beggar  man?  "  said  he; 
"  For  full  seven  years  I've  been  over  the  sea," 
Then  the  auld  man  said^-"The  strangest  of  all 
Is  the  curious  wedding  in  our  king's  hall. 

10  "  For  there 's  a  king's  daughter,  come  frae  the  wast, 
Has  been  married  to  him  these  nine  days  past; 

But  to  the  bride-bed  the  bride  winna  jee, 
For  love  of  Hynde  Horn,  far  over  the  sea." 

11  "  Now,  auld  man,  give  to  me  your  begging  weed, 
And  I  will  give  to  thee  my  riding  steed ; 

And,  auld  man,  give  to  me  your  staff  of  tree, 
And  my  scarlet  cloak  I  will  give  to  thee. 

12  "  And  you  must  teach  me  the  auld  beggar's  role, 
As  he  goes  his  rounds,  and  receives  his  dole." 
The  auld  man  he  did  as  young  Hynde  Horn  said. 
And  taught  him  the  way  to  beg  for  his  bread. 

13  Then  Hynde  Horn  bent  him  to  his  staff  of  tree. 
And  to  the  king's  palace  away  hobbled  he ; 
And  when  he  arrived  at  the  king's  palace  gate, 
To  the  porter  he  thus  his  petition  did  state : 

14  "  Good  porter,  I  pray,  for  Saints  Peter  and  Paul, 
And  for  sake  of  the  Saviour  who  died  for  us  all. 
For  one  cup  of  wine,  and  one  bit  of  bread. 

To  an  auld  man  with  travel  and  hunger  bestead. 

15  "  And  ask  the  fair  bride,  for  the  sake  of  Hynde  Home, 
To  hand  them  to  one  so  sadly  forlorn." 

Then  the  porter  for  pity  the  message  convey'd, 
And  told  the  fair  bride  all  the  beggar  man  said. 


128  BALLAD  iriNSTRELSr  OF  SCOTLAND. 


16  And  when  she  did  hear  it,  she  tripp'd  down  the  stair, 
And  in  her  fair  hands  did  lovingly  bear 

A  cup  of  red  wine,  and  a  farle  of  cake, 

To  give  the  old  man,  for  loved  Hynde  Horn's  sake. 

17  And  when  she  came  to  where  Hynde  Horn  did  stand. 
With  joy  he  did  take  the  cup  from  her  hand; 

Then  pledged  the  fair  bride,  the  cup  out  did  drain, 
Dropp'd  in  it  the  ring,  and  return'd  it  again, 

18  "  Oh,  found  you  that  ring  by  sea  or  on  land, 
Or  got  you  that  ring  off  a  dead  man's  hand?" 
"  Oh,  I  found  not  that  ring  by  sea  or  on  land, 
But  I  got  that  ring  from  a  fair  lady's  hand. 

19  "  As  a  pledge  of  true  love  she  gave  it  to  me. 
Full  seven  years  ago,  as  I  sail'd  o'er  the  sea; 

But  now  that  the  diamonds  are  chang'd  in  their  hue, 
I  know  that  my  love  has  to  me  proved  untrue." 

20  "  Oh,  I  will  cast  off  my  gay  costly  gown. 
And  follow  thee  on  from  town  unto  town, 
And  I  will  take  the  gold  combs  from  my  hair. 
And  follow  my  true  love  for  ever  mair." 

21  "You  need  not  cast  off  your  gay  costly  gown, 
To  follow  me  on  from  town  unto  town; 

You  need  not  take  the  gold  combs  from  your  hair. 
For  Hynde  Horn  has  gold  enough,  and  to  spare." 

22  He  stood  up  erect,  let  his  beggar  weed  fall, 
And  shone  there  the  foremost  and  noblest  of  all; 

Then  the  bridegrooms  were  chang'd,  and  the  lady  re-wed. 
To  Hynde  Horn  thus  come  back,  like  one  from  the  dead. 


FAUSE  FOODRAGE. 


From  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border,  vol.  iii. ,  p.  220 ;  in  which 
work  it  was  first  published. 

"  This  ballad,"  says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  has  been  popular  in  many 
parts  of  Scotland.  It  is  chiefly  given  from  Mrs.  Brown  of  Falkland's 
MSS.     The  expression, 

'The  boy  stared  wild  like  a  gray  gos-hawk,' 
verse  31,  strongly  resembles  that  in  Hardyknute, 

'Norse  e'en  like  gray  gos-hawk  stared  wild;' 
a  circumstance  which  led  the  editor  to  make  the  strictest  inquiry  into 


PAUSE  FOODRAGE.  129 


the  authenticity  of  the  song.  But  every  doubt  was  removed  by  the 
evidence  of  a  lady  of  high  rank,  who  not  only  recollected  the  ballad, 
as  having  amused  her  infancy,  but  could  repeat  many  of  the  verses, 
particularly  those  beautiful  stanzas  from  the  20th  to  the  25th.  The 
editor  is  therefore  compelled  to  believe  that  the  author  of  '  Hardyk- 
nute '  copied  the  old  ballad,  if  the  coincidence  be  not  altogether 
accidental. 

*'  The  King  Easter  and  King  Wester  of  the  ballad  Were  probably  petty 
princes  of  Northumberland  and  Westmoreland.  In  the  Complaynt 
of  Scotland,  an  ancient  romance  is  mentioned  tinder  the  title,  '  How 
the  King  of  Estmureland  married  the  King's  Daughter  of  Westmure- 
land,'  which  may  possibly  be  the  original  of  the  beautiful  legend  of 
'  King  Estmere,'  in  the  Beliques  of  Ancient  EmjUsh  Poetry,  vol.  i., 
p.  62,  4th  edit.  From  this  it  may  be  conjectured,  -with  some  degree  of 
plausibility,  that  the  independent  kingdoms  of  the  east  and  west 
coast  were,  at  an  early  period,  thus  denominated,  according  to  the 
Saxon  mode  of  naming  districts  from  their  relative  positions,  as  Essex, 
Wessex,  Sussex.  But  the  geography  of  the  metrical  romances  sets  all 
system  at  defiance ;  and,  in  some  of  these,  as  '  Clariodus  and  MeUades,' 
Estmureland  undoubtedly  signifies  the  land  of  the  Easterlings,  or  the 
Flemish  provinces  at  which  vessels  arrive  in  three  days  from  England, 
and  to  which  they  are  represented  as  exporting  wooL" — Minstrelsy  of 
t/ie  Scottish  Border,  first  edition. 

In  the  next  and  subsequent  editions  of  the  same  work,  Sir  Walter 
adds : — "On  this  subject  I  have,  since  publication  of  the  first  edition, 
been  favoured  with  the  following  remarks  by  Mr.  Eitson,  in  opposition 
to  the  opinion  above  expressed  : — 

"  'Estmureland  and  Westmureland  have  no  sort  of  relatioti  to 
Northumberland  and  Westmoreland.  The  former  was  never  called 
Eastmoreland,  nor  were  there  ever  any  kings  of  Westmoreland  ; 
unless  we  admit  the  authority  of  an  old  rhyme,  cited  by  Usher  i — 

"  Here  the  King  Westmer 
Slow  the  King  Bothinger." 

"  *  There  ia,  likewise,  a  "  King  Estmere  of  Spain,"  in  one  of  Percy's 
ballads. 

*' '  In  the  old  metrical  romance  of  "ityngHorn,"  or  "Horn  Child," 
we  find  both  Westnesse  and  Estnesse  j  and  it  is  somewhat  singular,  that 
two  places,  so  called,  actually  exist  in  Yorkshire  at  this  day.  But 
nes8,  in  that  quarter,  is  the  name  given  to  an  inlet  from  a  river. 
There  is,  however,  great  confusion  in  this  poem,  as  Horn  is  called  king 
sometimes  of  one  country,  and  sometimes  of  the  other.  In  the  French 
original,  Westir  is  said  to  have  been  the  old  name  of  Hirland  or  Ire- 
land ;  which  occasionally,  at  least,  is  called  Westnesse,  in  the  trans- 
lation, in  which  Britain  is  named  Sudene;  but  here,  again,  it  is 
inconsistent  and  confused. 

"  '  It  is,  at  any  rate,  highly  probable,  that  the  story,  cited  in  the 
Complaynt  of  Scotland,  was  a  romance  of  "  King  Horn,"  whether  prose 
or  verse ;  and,  consequently,  that  Estmureland  and  Westmureland 
should  there  mean  England  and  Ireland ;  though  it  is  possible  that  no 
other  instance  can  be  found  of  these  two  names  occurring  with  the 
same  sense.' " 

E 


130  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"Without  expressing  any  opinion  on  this  controverted  point,"  says 
Mr.  Motherwell,  "I  may  mention  that  I  have  a  copy  of  tMs  ballad,  in 
which  the  parties  interested  are  styled — 

'  The  Eastmure  king,  and  the  "Westmure  king, 
And  the  king  of  O  Norie;' 

certainly  a  very  near  approximation  to  the  names  contained  in  the 
above  tale"  (Introduction,  pp.  Hx.  and  Ixxxiii.,  note  91).  And  in 
prefatory  note,  p.  131,  he  states: — "The  ballad  is  popular  in  Scotland, 
and  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  of  its  authenticity.  Like 
others,  however,  it  has  lost  none  of  its  beauties  by  being  distilled 
through  the  alembic  established  at  Ahbotsford  for  the  purification 
of  ancient  song." 

1  King  Easter  wooed  her  for  her  lands, 

King  Wester  for  her  fee, 
King  Honour  for  her  comely  face, 
And  for  her  fair  bodie. 

2  But  they  had  not  been  four  ndonths  wed, 

As  I've  heard  often  tell, 

Until  the  nobles  of  the  land 

Against  them  did  rebel. 

3  And  they  cast  kevils  *  them  amang, 

And  kevils  them  between ; 
And  they  cast  kevils  them  amang, 
Wha  shou'd  gae  kill  the  King. 

4  Oh,  some  said  Yea,  and  some  said  Nay, 

Their  words  did  not  agree; 
Till  up  and  got  him  Fause  Poodrage, 
And  swore  it  shou'd  be  he. 

5  When  bells  were  rung,  and  mass  was  sung, 

And  all  men  bound  to  bed. 
King  Honour  and  his  gay  ladye 
In  ae  chamber  were  laid. 

6  Then  up  and  raise  him  Fause  Foodrage, 

When  all  were  fast  asleep, 
And  slew  the  porter  in  his  lodge, 
That  watch  and  ward  did  keep, 

7  Oh,  four-and-twenty  silver  keys 

Hang  hie  upon  a  pin  ; 
And  as  each  door  he  did  unlock, 
He  fasten'd  it  behin'. 

*  "Kevils : "  lots.  Both  words  originally  meant  only  a  portion  or  share  of  any- 
thing.— Leges  Burgorum,  cap.  59,  de  lot,  cut,  or  kavil.  Statuta  Gildee,  cap.  20.  Nullus 
emat  lanain,  <ic.  nisi  fuerit  con/rater  Gildx,  &c.  Neque  lot  neque  cavil  habeat  cum 
aliquo  confralre  nosiro.    In  both  these  laws,  lot  and  cavil  signify  a  share  in  trade. 


FAUSE  rOODRAGE.  131 


8  Then  up  and  raise  him  King  Honour, 

Says — "  What  means  all  this  din  ? 
Or  what's  the  matter,  Fause  Foodrage? 
Or  wha  has  loot  you  in  ?" 

9  "  Oh,  ye  my  errand  weel  shall  learn, 

Before  that  I  depart ; " 
Then  drew  a  knife,  baith  lang  and  sharp, 
And  pierced  him  to  the  heart. 

10  Then  up  and  got  the  Queen  hersel', 

And  fell  low  on  her  knee ; 
"  Oh,  spare  my  life  now,  Fause  Foodrage  ! 
For  I  ne'er  injured  thee. 

11  "  Oh,  spare  my  life  now,  Fause  Foodrage ! 

Until  I  lighter  be ; 
And  see  if  it  be  lad  or  lass, 
King  Honoiu-  's  left  me  wi'." 

12  "  Oh,  if  it  be  a  lass,"  he  says, 

"  It 's  weel  nursed  it  shall  be ; 
But  if  it  be  a  lad  bairn, 
It 's  he  shall  be  hang'd  hie. 

13  "  I  winna  spare  for  his  tender  age, 

Nor  yet  for  his  hie  kin ; 
But  soon  as  ever  he  born  is. 
He'll  mount  the  gallows  pin." 

14  Oh,  four-and-twenty  valiant  knights 

Were  set  the  Queen  to  guard : 
And  four  stood  aye  at  her  bow'r  door. 
To  keep  both  watch  and  ward. 

15  But  when  the  time  drew  near  an  ead 

That  she  shou'd  lighter  be. 
She  cast  about  to  find  a  wile 
To  set  her  body  free. 

16  Oh,  she  has  birled  these  merry  young  men 

With  the  ale  but  and  the  wine. 
Until  they  were  all  deadly  drunk 
As  any  wild-wood  swine. 

17  "  Oh,  narrow,  narrow  is  this  window. 

And  big,  big  am  I  grown !" 
Yet  through  the  might  of  Our  Ladye, 
Out  at  it  she  is  gone. 


132  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


18  She  wander'd  up,  she  wander'd  down, 

She  M-ander'd  out  and  in ; 
And  at  last,  into  the  very  swine's  stythe, 
The  Queen  brought  forth  a  son, 

19  Then  they  cast  kevils  them  amang, 

Which  shou'd  gae  seek  the  Queen; 
And  the  kevil  fell  upon  Wise  William, 
And  he  sent  his  wife  for  him. 

20  Oh,  when  she  saw  Wise  William's  wife. 

The  Queen  fell  on  her  knee  : 
"  Win  up,  win  up,  madam ! "  she  says ; 
"What  needs  this  courtesie?" 

21  "  Oh,  out  of  this  I  winna  rise. 

Till  this  boon  ye  grant  me, — 
To  change  your  lass  for  this  lad  bairn, 
King  Honour  left  me  wi'. 

22  "And  ye  maun  learn  my  gay  gos-hawk 

Eight  weel  to  breast  a  steed ; 
,  And  I  shall  learn  your  turtle  dow  * 

As  weel  to  write  and  read. 

23  "  And  ye  maun  learn  my  gay  gos-hawk 

To  wield  both  bow  and  brand ; 

And  I  shall  learn  your  turtle  dow 

To  lay  gowd  f  with  her  hand. 

24  "  At  kirk  and  market,  when  we  meet, 

We'll  dare  make  nae  avowe. 
But — '  Dame,  how  does  my  gay  gos-hawk  ?'  J 
'Madam,  how  does  my  dow?*" 

25  When  days  were  gane  and  years  oame  on. 

Wise  William  he  thought  lang; 
And  he  has  ta'en  King  Honour's  son 
A-hunting  for  to  gang. 

26  It  sae  fell  out,  at  this  hunting, 

Upon  a  simmer's  day. 
That  they  came  by  a  fair  castell, 
Stood  on  a  sunny  brae. 

27  "  Oh,  dinna  ye  see  that  bonnie  castell, 

With  halls  and  tow'rs  sae  fair? 
If  ilka  man  had  back  his  ain, 
Of  it  you  shou'd  be  heir." 

*  "  Dow : "  dove.  t  "  Lay  gowd :  "  embroider  in  gold. 

t  This  metaphorical  language  was  customary  among  the  northern  nations. 


EAllL  ftlCSARD'g  DAlTOHTfiR. 


133 


28  "  How  I  shou'd  be  heir  of  thAt  caetell, 

In  sooth,  I  canna  see; 
For  it  belangs  to  Fause  Foodrage, 
And  he  is  nae  kin  to  me." 

29  "  Oh,  if  you  shou'd  kill  him,  Fause  Foodrage, 

You  wou'd  do  but  what  was  right; 
For  I  wot  he  kill'd  your  father  dear, 
Or  ever  ye  saw  the  light. 

30  "  And  if  ye  shou'd  kill  him,  Fause  Foodrage, 

There 's  no  man  durst  you  blame ; 
For  he  keeps  your  mother  a  prisoner. 
And  she  darena  take  ye  hame." 

31  The  boy  stared  wild  like  a  gray  gos-hawk; 

Says — "  What  may  all  this  mean?" 
"  My  boy,  ye  are  King  Honour's  son, 
Your  mother  our  lawful  Queen." 

32  "  Oh,  if  I  be  King  Honour's  son, 

By  Our  Ladye  I  swear, 
This  night  I  will  that  traitor  slay, 
And  free  my  mother  dear!" 

33  He  set  his  bent  bow  to  his  breast, 

And  leap'd  the  castell  wall; 
And  soon  he  seiz'd  on  Fause  Foodrage, 
Wha  loud  for  help  'gan  call. 

34  "  Oh,  baud  your  tongue  now,  Fause  Foddrage, 

Frae  me  ye  shanna  flee;" 
Syne  pierced  him  through  the  fause,  fause  heart, 
And  set  his  mother  free. 

35  And  he  has  rewarded  Wise  William 

With  the  best  half  of  his  land; 
And  sae  has  he  the  turtle  dow, 
With  the  truth  of  his  right  hand. 


EARL  UICHARD'S  DAUGHTER. 

From  Buchan'a  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs^  vol.  i.,  p.  145,  and 
note,  p.  .306. 

"  The  Earl  Rickard,  the  lady's  father,  is  said  to  have  been  one  of 
the  Earls  of  Wemvss. 


134  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"There  is  such  a  striking  and  visible  coincidence  between  this 
ballad  and  '  Hynd  Horn,'  that  I  am  apt  to  think  they  are  coeval." — 
Buchan. 

With  reference  to  the  family  and  the  title  of  Earl  of  Wemyss,  see 
note,  ante,  p.  109. 

1  Earl  Eichard  had  but  ae  daughter, 

A  maid  of  birth  and  fame ; 
She  lov'd  her  father's  kitchen  boy, — 
The  greater  was  her  shame. 

2  But  she  cou'd  ne'er  her  true  love  see, 

Nor  with  him  cou'd  she  talk, 
In  towns  where  she  had  wont  to  go. 
Nor  fields  where  she  cou'd  walk. 

3  But  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day, 

Her  father  went  from  home ; 
She 's  call'd  upon  the  kitchen  boy, 
To  come  and  clean  her  room. 

4  "  Come  sit  ye  down  by  me,  Willie, 

Come  sit  ye  down  by  me; 
There  is  nae  lord  in  all  the  north, 
That  I  can  love  like  thee." 

5  "  Let  never  the  like  be  heard,  lady. 

Forbid  that  it  shou'd  be; 
For  if  your  father  get  word  of  this, 
He  will  gae  hang  me  hie." 

6  "  Oh,  ye  shall  ne'er  be  hang'd,  Willie, 

Your  bluid  shall  ne'er  be  drawn; 
ril  lay  my  life  in  pledge  of  thine, 
Your  body 's  ne'er  get  wrang." 

>  7     "  Excuse  me  now,  my  comely  dame, 

No  langer  here  I'll  stay ; 
You  know  my  time  is  near  expir'd, 
And  now  I  must  away. 

8  "  The  master-cook  will  on  me  call, 

And  answer'd  he  must  be ; 
If  I  am  found  in  bow'r  with  thee, 
Great  anger  will  there  be." 

9  "  The  master-cook  will  on  you  call, 

But  shall  not  answer'd  be; 
I'll  put  you  in  a  higher  place 
Than  any  cook's  degree. 


EARL  RICHARD'S  DAUGHTER.  135 


10  "I  have  a  coflfer  full  of  gold, 

Another  of  white  monie ; 
And  I  will  build  a  bonnie  ship, 
And  set  my  love  to  sea. 

11  "  Silk  shall  be  your  sailing  clothes, 

Gold  y fellow  in  your  hair; 
As  white  as  milk  shall  be  your  hands, 
Your  body  neat  and  fair." 

12  This  lady,  with  her  fair  speeches, 

She  made  the  boy  grow  bold; 
And  he  began  to  kiss  and  clap^ 
And  on  his  love  lay  hold. 

13  And  she  has  built  a  bonnie  ship, 

Set  her  love  to  the  sea, 
With  seven  score  of  brisk  young  men. 
To  bear  him  companie. 

14  Then  she  's  ta'en  out  a  gay  gold  ring, 

To  him  she  did  it  gi'e ; 
"  This  will  mind  you  on  the  lady,  Willie, 
That 's  laid  her  love  on  thee." 

15  Then  he 's  ta'en  out  a  piece  of  gold, 

And  he  brake  it  in  two ; 
"  All  I  have  in  the  world,  my  dame, 
For  love,  I  give  to  you." 

16  So  he  is  to  his  bonnie  ship. 

And  merrily  ta'en  the  sea; 
The  lady  lay  o'er  castle  wall, 
The  tear  blinded  her  e'e. 

17  They  had  not  sail'd  upon  the  sea 

A  week  but  barely  three, 
When  came  a  prosperous  gale  of  wind, — 
On  Spain's  coast  landed  he. 

18  A  lady  lay  o'er  castle  wall, 

Beholding  dale  and  down; 

And  she  beheld  the  bonnie  ship 

Come  sailing  to  the  town. 

19  "  Come  here,  come  here,  my  Marys  all. 

Ye  see  not  what  1  see; 
For  here  I  see  the  bonniest  ship 
That  ever  sail'd  the  sea. 


136  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


20  "  In  her  there  is  the  bravest  squire 

That  e'er  my  eyes  did  see ; 
All  clad  in  silk  and  rich  attire, 
A  comely  youth  is  he, 

21  "  Oh,  busk,  oh,  busk,  my  Marys  all, 

Oh,  busk  and  make  ye  fine ; 
And  we  will  on  to  yon  shore  side, 
Invite  yon  squire  to  dine. 

22  "  Will  ye  come  up  to  my  castle 

With  me,  and  take  your  dine? 
And  ye  shall  eat  the  gude  white  bread. 
And  drink  the  claret  wine." 

23  "  I  thank  you  for  your  bread,  lady, 

I  thank  you  for  your  wine; 

I  thank  you  for  your  kind  offer, 

But  now  I  have  not  time." 

24  "I  wou'd  gi'e  all  my  land,"  she  saj's, 

"  Your  gay  bride  were  I  she; 
And  then  to  live  on  a  small  portion, 
Contented  I  wou'd  be." 

25  "  She 's  far  awa  frae  me,  lady, 

She  's  far  awa  frae  me, 
That  has  my  heart  a-keeping  fast, 
And  my  love  still  she'll  be." 

26  "  But  ladies  they  unconstant  are, 

When  their  loves  go  to  sea; 
And  she'll  be  wed  ere  ye  gae  back; 
My  love,  pray  stay  with  me." 

27  "  If  she  be  wed  ere  I  go  back. 

And  prove  sae  false  to  me, 

I  shall  live  single  all  my  life, — 

I'll  ne'er  wed  one  but  she." 

28  Then  she  's  ta'en  out  a  gay  gold  ring, 

And  ga'e  him  presentlie ; 
"  'Twill  mind  you  on  the  lady,  squire, 
That  laid  her  love  on  thee." 

29  "  The  ring  that's  on  my  mid-finger 

Is  dearer  far  to  me. 
Though  yours  were  of  the  gude  red  gold, 
And  mine  the  metal  free." 


EARL  Richard's  daughter.  137 


30  He  view'd  them  all,  baith  neat  and  small, 

As  they  stood  on  the  shore  ; 
Then  spread  the  mainsail  to  the  wind; 
"  Adieu,  for  evermore  ! " 

31  He  had  not  sail'd  upon  the  sea 

A  week  but  barely  three. 
Until  there  came  a  prosperous  gale, — 
In  Scotland  landed  he. 

32  But  he  put  paint  upon  his  face, 

And  oil  upon  his  hair ; 
Likewise  a  mask  above  his  brow. 
Which  did  disguise  him  sair. 

33  Earl  Richard  lay  o'er  castle  wall, 

Beholding  dale  and  down ; 

And  he  beheld  the  bonnie  ship 

Come  Bailing  to  the  town. 

34  "  Come  here,  come  here,  my  daughter  dear, 

Ye  see  not  what  I  see; 
For  here  1  see  the  bonniest  ship 
That  ever  sail'd  the  sea. 

35  "  In  her  there  is  the  bravest  squire    , 

That  e'er  my  eyes  did  see ; 
Oh,  busk,  oh,  busk,  my  daughter  dear, 
Oh,  busk  and  come  to  me. 

36  "  Oh,  busk,  oh,  busk,  my  daughter  dear, 

Oh,  busk,  and  make  ye  fine ; 
And  we  will  on  to  the  shore  side. 
Invite  yon  squire  to  dine." 

37  "  He  'a  far  awa  frae  me,  father, 

He 's  lar  awa  frae  me. 
Who  has  the  keeping  of  my  heart, 
And  I'll  wed  nane  but  he." 

38  "  Whoever  has  your  heart  in  hand, 

Yon  lad's  the  match  for  thee; 

And  he  shall  come  to  my  castle 

This  day,  and  dine  with  me." 

39  "  Will  ye  come  up  to  my  castle 

With  me,  and  take  your  dine  ? 
And  ye  shall  eat  the  gude  white  bread, 
And  drink  the  claret  wine." 


138  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


40  "  Yes,  I'll  come  up  to  your  castle 

With  you,  and  take  my  dine ; 
For  I  wou'd  give  my  bonnie  ship, 
Were  your  fair  daughter  mine." 

41  "  I  wou'd  give  all  my  lands,"  he  said, 

"  That  your  bride  she  wou'd  be ; 
Then  to  live  on  a  small  portion, 
Contented  wou'd  I  be." 

42  As  they  gaed  up  from  j'on  sea  strand, 

And  down  the  bowling  green, 
He  drew  the  mask  out  o'er  his  face. 
For  fear  he  shou'd  be  seen. 

43  He's  done  him  down  from  bow'r  to  bow'r^ 

Likewise  from  bower  to  hall ; 

And  there  he  saw  that  lady  gay, 

The  flower  out  o'er  them  all. 

44  He's  ta'en  her  in  his  arms  twa, 

And  hail'd  her  courteouslie  ; 
"  Excuse  me,  sir,  no  strange  man  shall 
Such  freedom  use  with  me." 

45  Her  father  tum'd  him  round  about, 

A  light  laugh  then  gave  he  ; 
"  Stay,  I'll  retire  a  little  while, 
Perhaps  you  may  agree." 

46  Now  Willie 's  ta'en  a  gay  gold  ring, 

And  gave  her  presentlie ; 
Says — "Take  ye  that,  ye  lady  fair, 
A  lovc'token  from  me." 

47  "  Oh,  got  ye't  on  the  sea  sailing? 

Or  got  ye't  on  the  sand  ? 
Or  got  ye't  on  the  coast  of  Spain, 
Upon  a  dead  man's  hand?" 

48  "  Fine  silk  it  was  his  sailing  clothes. 

Gold  yellow  was  his  hair  ; 
It  wou'd  ha'e  made  a  hale  heart  bleed 
To  see  him  lying  there. 

49  "  He  was  not  dead  as  I  pass'd  by, 

But  no  remeid  cou'd  be ; 
And  he  gave  me  this  ring  to  bear 
Unto  a  fair  ladye. 


THE  miller's  son.  139 


50  "  And  by  the  marks  that  he  descryved, 

I'm  sure  that  you  are  she  ; 

So  take  this  token  of  free-will, 

For  him  you'll  never  see." 

51  In  sorrow  she  tore  her  mantle, 

With  grief  she  tore  her  hair ; 
"  Now,  since  I've  lost  my  own  true  love, 
I  ne'er  will  love  man  mair." 

52  He  drew  the  mask  from  off  his  face, 

The  lady  sweetly  smiled ; 
"  Awa,  awa,  ye  fause  Willie, 
How  have  you  me  beguiled  ?  " 

53  Earl  Kichard  he  went  through  the  hall, 

The  wine  glass  in  his  hand ; 
But  little  thought  his  kitchen  boy 
Was  heir  o'er  all  his  land. 

54  But  this  she  kept  within  her  heart 

And  never  told  to  one, 
Until  nine  months  they  were  expir'd, 
And  she  brought  home  a  son. 

55  Then  she  has  told  her  father  dear : 

He  said — "  Daughter,  well  won ; 
You've  married,  not  for  gold,  but  love ; 
Your  joys  will  ne'er  be  done." 


THE  MILLEK'S  SON. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  vidL  ii.,  p.  120,  and  note,  p. 
320. 

"This  ballad,  by  the  burden  of  its  soUg,  is,"  says  Mr.  Buchan, 
"  undoubtedly  old." 

It  has  some  points  of  resemblance  both  to  the  ballad  which  pre- 
cedes,, and  the  one  which  follows  it. 

The  following  stanza,  which  begins  Part  II.,  is  omitted  in  the  text, 
as  it  appears  out  of  place,  obscure,  and  modern. 

"  A  bonnie  boy  the  ballad  read. 
Forbade  them  sair  to  lie ; 
She  was  a  lady  in  Southland  town. 
Her  name  was  Barbarie." 

Part  I. 
1     "  Oh,  woe  is  me !  the  time  draws  nigh 
My  love  and  I  must  part; 
No  one  doth  know  the  cares  and  fears 
Of  my  poor  troubled  heart. 


140  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


2  "  Already  I  have  suffered  much; 

Our  parting  cost  me  dear; 
Would  that  I  cou'd  have  gone  with,  him, 
Or  he  could  tarry'd  here. 

3  "  My  heart  is  fix'd  within  his  breast, 

And  that  he  knows  right  well; 
For  hitter  were  the  tears  I  shed, 
When  I  bid  him  farewell. 

4  "  When  I  bid  him  farewell,"  she  said, 

"  Alas,  and  woe  is  me; 
For  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blows  still, 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

5  "  The  hat  my  love  wears  on  hia  head, 

It 's  not  made  of  the  woo' ; 
But  it  is  of  the  silk  so  fine, 
And  well  becomes  his  brow. 

6  "  His  eyes  sae  blithely  they  do  blink, 

His  hair  shines  like  the  broom; 
And  I  wou'd  not  gi'e  my  laddie's  love 
For  all  the  wealth  in  Rome. 

7  "  He  said,  '  Farewell,  my  dearest  dear, 

Since  from  you  I  must  go; 
Let  not  your  heart  be  full  of  grief. 
Nor  parting  grieve  you  so. 

8  " '  If  life  remains,  I  will  return, 

And  bear  you  companie ; ' 
But  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  Ipve  and  me. 

9  "  His  bonnie  middle  is  well  made, 

His  shoulders  brave  and  braid; 
Out  of  my  mind  he'll  never  be, 
Till  in  my  grave  I'm  laid. 

10  "  Till  I'm  in  grave  laid  low,"  she  says, 

"  Alas!  and  woe  is  me; 
Now  cauld  and  raw  the  wind  does  blaw, 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

11  "  Some  do  mourn  for  oxen,"  she  said, 

*'  And  others  mourn  for  kye ; 
And  some  do  mourn  for  dowie  death, 
But  none  for  love  like  I. 


THE  intLEB'S  SON.  141 


12  "  What  need  I  make  all  this  din, 

Or  what  gude  will  it  dee? 
For  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  love  and  me." 

13  She  'g  ta'en  her  mantle  her  about, 

And  sat  down  by  the  shore, 
In  hopes  to  meet  with  some  relief 
But  still  her  grief  grew  more. 

14  "  Oh,  I'll  sit  here  while  my  life 's  in, 

Until  the  day  I  die; 
Oh,  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

15  "  Oh,  see  ye  not  yon  bonnie  ship? 

She 's  beauteous  to  behold; 
Her  sails  are  taffety  sae  fine, 
Her  topmasts  shine  like  gold. 

16  "  In  yonder  ship  my  love  does  skip, 

And  quite  forsaken  me ; 
And  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

17  "  My  love  he 's  neither  laird  nor  lord, 

Nor  ane  of  noble  kin; 
But  my  bonnie  love,  the  sailor  bold, 
Is  a  poor  uiiller's  son. 

18  "  He  is  a  miller's  son,"  she  says, 

"  And  will  be  till  he  die ; 
And  cauld  and  ahrill  the  wind  blawe  still 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

19  "  My  love  he 's  bound  to  leave  the  land, 

And  cross  the  watery  faem; 
And  the  bonnie  ship  my  love  sails  in, 
The  Goldspink  is  her  name. 

20  ''  She  sails  mair  bright  than  Phoebus  fair 

Out  o'er  the  raging  sea; 
And  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

21  "  He  promised  I  shou'd  letters  have. 

Ere  six  months  they  were  gone; 
But  now  nine  months  tliey  are  expir'd, 
And  yet  I  have  got  none. 


142  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


22  "  So  I  may  sigh,  and  say,  alas 

This  day !  and  woe  is  me ! 
And  cauld  and  shrill  the  wind  blaws  still 
Between  my  love  and  me. 

23  "I  wish  a  stock-stone  aye  on  earth, 

And  high  wings  on  the  sea, 
To  cause  my  true  love  stay  at  home, 
And  no  more  go  from  me. 

24  "  What  needs  me  for  to  wish  in  vain? 

Such  things  will  never  be ; 
The  wind  blaws  sair  in  every  where 
Between  my  love  and  me." 

Part  II. 

25  She  thought  her  love  was  still  abroad, 

Beyond  the  raging  sea ; 
But  there  was  nae  mair  between  them  twa 
Than  a  green  apple  tree. 

26  "  Cheer  up  your  heart,  my  dearest  dear, 

No  more  from  you  I'll  part ; 
I'm  come  to  ease  the  cares  and  fears 
Of  your  poor  troubled  heart. 

27  "  All  for  my  sake  yeVe  suffer'd  much ; 

I'm  home  to  cherish  thee; 
And  now  we've  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
Until  the  day  we  die. 

28  "  I  wish'd  your  face  was  set  in  glass, 

That  I  might  it  behold ; 
And  the  very  letters  of  your  name 
Were  wrote  in  beaten  gold; 

29  "  That  I  the  same  might  bear  about. 

Thro'  many  strange  countrie : 
But  now  we're  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
Until  the  day  we  die. 

30  "  Here  is  a  ring,  the  pledge  of  love, 

I  still  will  you  adore ; 
Likewise  a  heart  that  none  can  move; 
A  prince  can  give  no  more. 

81     "  A  prince  can  give  no  more,  my  love, 
Than  what  I  give  to  thee  ; 
Now  we  are  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
Until  the  day  we  die. 


THE  ENCHANTED  RING.  143 


32  "I  promised  letters  to  send  thee, 

Ere  six  months  they  were  gone  ; 
But  now  nine  months  they  are  expired, 
And  I'm  retum'd  home, 

33  "  Now  from  the  seas  I  am  retum'd, 

My  dear,  -to  comfort  thee ; 
And  we  are  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
Until  the  day  we  die. 

34  "  Ye  say  I'm  neither  laird  nor  lord, 

Nor  one  of  noble  kin ; 
But  ye  say  I'ni  a  sailor  bold. 
But  and  a  miller's  son. 

35  "  When  ye  come  to  my  father's  mill, 

Ye  shall  grind  mouterfree; 
For  now  we're  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
Until  the  day  we  die. 

36  "  Ye  say  I'm  bound  to  leave  the  land, 

And  cross  the  watery  faem ; 
The  ship  that  your  true  love  commands, 
The  Groldspink  is  her  name. 

87     "  Though  I  were  heir  o'er  all  Scotland, 
Ye  should  be  lady  free ; 
And  now  we're  met,  nae  mair  to  part 
UotU  the  day  we  die." 


THE  ENCHANTED  RING. 

Two  versions  of  this  ballad  have  been  published : — 

I.   "Bonny  Bee-Ho'm." — Jamieson'a  Popular  Bailads,  voL  i., 
p.  185;  where  it  is  "given  verbatim  from  Mrs.  Brown's 
MS." 
II.  "The  Enchanted  Ring." — Bnchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  &c., 
vol.  i.,  p.  169. 

The  present  version  is  collated  from  both,  but  Mr.  Buchan's  is  the 
one  chiefly  followed. 

This  ballad,  like  "Hynde  Horn"  and  others,  "is  founded,"  says 
Mr.  Buchan,  "  on  the  visionary  belief  of  a  supernatural  agency  in  a 
piece  of  gold  and  pebble."  Those  who  are  any  way  curious  to 
know  the  alleged  "vertues  and  qualities  of  sundrie  pretious  stones," 
&c.,  may  consult  the  Discoverie  of  Witchcraft,  by  Reginald  Scot, 
in  which  "antiquated  and  curious  black-letter  book,   printed  in 


144  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


1584,  p.  231,  we  find  the  following  receipt  for  making  a  '  Wastecote 
of  Proofe:^ — 'On  Christmas  daie,  at  night,  a  thread  must  be  sponne 
of  flax,  by  a  little  virgin  girle,  in  the  name  of  the  divell ;  and  it 
must  be  by  her  woven,  and  also  wrought  with  the  needle.  In  the 
breast,  or  fore-part  thereof,  must  be  made  with  needle-work,  two 
heads ;  on  the  head,  at  the  right  side,  must  be  a  hat  and  a  long  beard. 
The  left  head  must  have  on  a  crown,  and  it  must  be  so  horrible  that 
it  male  resemble  Belzebub  ;  and  on  each  side  of  the  wastecote  must 
be  made  a  cross.' " — Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  345. 

1  In  Lauderdale,  as  late  I  went,* 

I  heard  a  lady's  moan, 
Lamenting  sadly  for  her  dear, 
And  aye  she  cried — "  Ohon ! 

2  "  Sure  never  maid  that  e'er  drew  breath 

Had  harder  fate  than  me ; 
For  I  never  loved  but  one  on  earth, 
And  now  he 's  forced  to  sea. 

3  "  A  handsome  youth  with  shoulders  broad, 

Gold  yellow  is  his  hair; 
None  other  of  our  Scotish  youths 
Can  with  my  love  compare. 

4  "  But  I  will  do  for  my  love's  sake 

Most  ladies  wou'd  think  sair; 
For  seven  years  shall  come  and  gae 
Ere  kame  gae  in  my  hair. 

5  "  There  shall  neither  shoe  gae  on  my  feet, 

Nor  kame  gae  in  my  hair, 
Nor  ever  coal  or  candle  light 
Within  my  bow'r  shine  mair. 

6  "  And  neither  ale  in  Scotland  brew'd, 

Nor  wine  frae  foreign  land, 

Shall  ever  cross  my  halse  again, 

Till  my  love  come  to  land." 

7  She  thought  her  love  had  been  on  sea, 

Fast  sailing  to  Bahome; 
But  in  next  chamber  still  was  he, 
And  heard  his  lady's  moan. 

8  "Be  hush'd,  be  hush'd,  my  lady  dear; 

I  pray  thee,  moan  not  so; 
For  I  am  deep  sworn  on  a  book, 
To  Bahome  for  to  go. 

•  "In  Arthur's  dale." — Jamieson's  version. 


THE  ENCHANTED  RING.  145 


9     "  And  traitors  false  there  to  subdue, 
O'er  seas  I  make  me  boun', 
ForotheyVe  trepan'd  our  kindly  Scots, 
Like  dogs  to  ding  them  down." 

10  "  Then  take  this  ring,  this  royal  thing, 

Set  with  a  ruby  stone ; 
As  long  as  'tis  your  finger  on, 
Your  blood  can  ne'er  be  drawn, 

11  "  But  if  this  ring  shou'd  fade  or  stain, 

Or  the  ruby  change  its  hue. 
Be  sure  your  love  is  dead  and  gone^  '* 

Or  she  has  proved  untrue." 

12  This  loving  couple  then  did  part, 

With  sad  and  heavy  tnoan; 
The  wind  was  fair,  the  ship  was  rare^ 
And  soon  he  reach'd  Bahome, 

13  But  in  Bahome  he  had  not  been 

A  month  but  barely  one, 
Till  tarnish'd  was  his  gay  gold  ring, 
And  faded  was  the  stone. 

14  And  in  Bahoine  he  scarce  had  been 

Some  two  months  past  and  gone. 
Till  black  and  ugly  grew  the  ring, 
And  lustreless  the  stone. 

15  "  Fight  on,  fight  on,  you  merry  men  all. 

With  you  I'll  fight  no  more ; 
But  I  will  gang  to  some  holy  place, 
Pray  to  the  King  of  Glore." 

16  Then  to  a  chapel  he  has  gone, 

And  knelt  upon  his  knee 
For  seven  days  and  seven  nights, 
Then  this  bequest  made  he : 

17  "  When  you  return  to  Scotland  fair, 

Gi'e  all  I  ha'e  to  gi'e 
To  the  young  that  canna,  the  auld  that  maunna. 
And  the  blind  that  downa  see. 

18  "  But  gi'e  the  raaist  to  women  weak. 

Can  neither  fight  nor  flee, 
For  the  sake  of  her — I  trust  in  heaven — 
Wha  died  for  love  of  me." 
L 


146  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


19     Then  death  did  come  with  kindly  dart, 
And  split  his  heart  in  twain ; 
God  grant  their  souls  are  both  in  heaven, 
There  ever  to  remain. 


YOUNG  RONALD. 

Abridged  from  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  282. 

This  ballad  has  some  points  of  analogy  with  the  one  which  precedes 
it,  with  "Sir  Cawline"  which  follows  it,  and  with  the  Danish  ballads, 
"Sir  Olger  the  Dane,"  and  "Sir  Grimner,"  both  of  which  last  are 
translated  in  Old  Danish  Ballads,  from  Orimm's  Collection,  London, 
1856. 

Many  of  the  names  of  persons  and  places  in  the  early  romantic 
ballads  are  such  as  it  would  puzzle  the  most  learned  antiquary  to 
identify;  but  the  name  of  Windsor,  which  occurs  in  the  present  ballad, 
is  not  one  of  these. 

It  is  not,  however,  New  Windsor,  distant  fully  twenty  miles  west  by 
south  from  London,  and  celebrated  for  its  royal  castle  and  domain  ; 
but  Old  Windsor,  situated  about  two  miles  south-east  from  the 
other,  which  is  referred  to  in  the  ballad.  At  this  latter  place  the 
Saxon  kings  had  a  palace  which  was  named  Windles-ofra,  or 
Windleshora,  from  the  winding  of  the  Thames  at  this  part  of  its 
coiirse. 

Whether  the  Linne  of  the  ballad  refers, — to  the  ancient  town  of  Lynn 
Kegis  in  Norfolk  ;  to  the  modem  Lincoln,  known  under  the  Romans 
as  Lindum,  and  under  the  Saxons  as  Lindsey,  during  a  portion  of 
which  regime  nearly,  if  not  quite,  the  whole  of  the  modern  county 
appears  to  have  existed  as  a  subordinate  state  in  connection  with  the 
Saxon  kingdom  of  Mercia ;  to  some  other  place  unknown ;  or  to  some 
region  purely  imaginary, — is  a  problem  which  cannot  now  be  solved  ; 
and,  fortunately,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  great  consequence. 

The  name  occurs  in  a  preceding  ballad,  as  designating  the  domain 
of  "Young  Bekie,"  and  it  gives  title  to  "The  Heir  of  Linne,"  a 
ballad  which  appears  in  a  subsequent  portion  of  this  work. 

The  name  of  the  heroine's  father,"  King  Honour,"  also  appears  in 
"Fause  Foodrage,"  ante,  p.  128. 

1  It  fell  upon  the  Lammas  time, 

When  flowers  were  fresh  and  green, 
And  craig  and  cleugh  were  cover'd  o'er 
With  clothing  that  was  clean. 

2  'Twas  at  that  time  a  noble  squire, 

Sprung  from  an  ancient  line. 
Laid  his  love  on  a  lady  fair. 
The  king's  daughter  of  Linne. 


YOUNG  RONALD.  147 

3  When  cocks  did  craw,  and  day  did  daw, 

And  mint  in  meadows  sprang, 
Young  Ronald,  and  his  little  wee  boy, 
They  rode  the  way  alang. 

4  And  when  hp  unto  Windsor  came, 

And  lighted  on  the  green, 
Young  Ronald  spy'd  his  mother  dear 
Was  walking  there  alane. 

5  "Where  ha'e  you  been,  my  son  Ronald, 

From  gude  school-house  this  day?" 
**  Oh,  I  ha'e  been  at  Linne,  mother, 
Seeing  yon  bonnie  May." 

6  "  Oh,  waes  me  for  you  now,  Ronald, 

For  she  will  not  you  ha'e  ; 
For  many  a  knight  and  bauld  baron 
She 's  nick'd  them  aye  with  Nay." 

7  Young  Ronald 's  done  him  to  his  bow'r. 

And  he  took  bed  and  lay; 
Nae  woman  cou'd  come  in  his  sight, 
For  thoughts  of  this  fair  May. 

8  Then  Ronald  call'd  his  stable  groom 

To  come  right  speedilie; 
Says — "  Ye'll  gang  to  yon  stable,  boy, 
And  saddle  a  steed  for  me. 

9  "  His  saddle  of  the  good  red  gold, 

His  bits  of  polish'd  steel, 
His  bridle  of  a  glittering  hue ; 
See  that  ye  saddle  him  weel." 

10  When  cocks  did  craw,  and  day  did  daw. 

And  mint  in  meadows  sprang, 
Young  Ronald,  and  his  little  wee  boy, 
The  way  they  rode  alang. 

11  So  they  rode  on,  and  farther  on, 

To  yonder  pleasant  green; 
And  there  they  saw  that  lady  fair. 
In  her  garden  alane. 

12  He  rais'd  his  hat,  and  thus  he  spake, — 

"Oh,  pity  have  on  me! 
For  I  cou'd  pledge  what  is  my  right. 
All  for  the  sake  of  thee." 


148  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


13  "  But  I'm  too  young  to  wed,  kind  sir; 

You  must  not  take  it  ill ; 
Whate'er  my  father  bids  me  do, 
I  maun  be  at  his  will. 

14  "  King  Honour  is  my  father's  name, 

The  morn  to  war  maun  fare; 
He  gangs  to  fight  a  giant  proud, 
That's  wrought  him  meikle  care. 

15  "  Alang  with  him  he  is  to  take 

Baith  noble  knights  and  squires; 
If  you  gae  there  a  weel-graith'd  knight, 
You'll  honour  my  desires. 

16  "  And  I'll  give  you  a  thousand  crowns, 

To  part  among  your  men ; 
A  robe  upon  your  ain  body, 
Weel  sew'd  with  my  ain  hand. 

17  ."  Likewise  a  ring,  a  royal  thing, 

Whose  virtue  is  well  known  ; 
As  lang  's  this  ring  's  your  finger  on. 
Your  bluid  shall  ne'er  be  drawn." 

18  He  kiss'd  her  then,  and  took  his  leave; 

His  heart  was  all  in  pride; 

And  he  is  on  to  Windsor  gone, 

With  his  boy  by  his  side. 

19  And  when  he  unto  Windsor  came, 

And  lighted  on  the  green. 
Young  Ronald  saw  his  auld  father 
Was  walking  there  alane. 

20  "  Where  ha'e  ye  been,  my  son  Eonald, 

From  gude  school-house  the  day?" 
"  Oh,  I  ha'e  been  at  Linne,  father. 
Seeking  yon  bonnie  May." 

21  "  Oh,  waes  me  for  you  now,  Ronald, 

For  she  will  not  you  ha'e; 
Many  a  knight  and  bauld  baron 
She 's  nick'd  them  aye  with  Nay." 

22  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  father  dear, 

Let  all  your  folly  be; 
The  last  words  that  I  with  her  spake, 
Her  love  was  granted  me. 


TOUNG  RONALD.  149 


23  "  The  mom  I  join  her  father  dear, 

His  knights  and  noble  squires, 
To  fight  against  a  giant  proud. 
And  honour  her  desires." 

24  His  father  gave  him  a  hundred  men, 

To  bear  him  companie; 
Besides  as  meikle  gude  harness 
As  carry  them  on  the  lea. 

25  When  cocks  did  craw,  and  day  did  daw. 

And  mint  in  meadows  spread. 
Young  Ronald  and  his  merry  young  men 
Were  ready  for  to  ride. 

26  So  they  rode  on,  and  farther  on, 

To  yonder  pleasant  green; 
And  there  they  spy'd  that  lady  fair. 
With  love-tears  in  her  een. 

27  And  twenty  times  before  he  ceased. 

He  kiss'd  her  lips  sae  clear; 
And  said — "  I'll  fight  the  giant  proud 
For  your  sake,  lady  dear." 

28  Then  to  his  great  steed  he  set  spur, 

Which  being  swift  of  feet. 
They  soon  arriv'd  upon  the  plain. 
Where  all  the  rest  did  meet. 

29  Then  flew  the  foul  thief  frae  the  west. 

His  maik  was  never  seen; 
He  had  three  heads  upon  ae  hause. 
Three  heads  on  ae  breast-bane. 

30  He  bauldly  stepp'd  up  to  the  king; 

Says — "  I'm  a  valiant  man ; 
Let  you,  or  any  in  your  train. 
Fight  me  now  if  ye  can." 

31  "  Where  is  the  man  in  all  my  train 

Will  take  this  deed  in  hand  ? 
And  he  shall  ha'e  my  daughter  dear, 
And  third  part  of  my  land." 

32  "  Oh,  here  am  I,"  said  young  Ronald, 

"Will  take  the  deed  in  hand; 
If  you  give  me  your  daughter  dear, 
I'll  seek  nane  of  your  land." 


150  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


33  "  I  wou'dna  for  my  life,  Ronald, 

That  you  shou'd  perish  here; 

Remember  that  my  daughter  fair 

For  you  shed  many  a  tear." 

34  When  he  thought  on  that  lady  fair 

He  ne'er  might  see  again, 
He  boldly  coursed  him  to  the  fight, 
Like  a  lion  frae  a  chain. 

35  Then  he  cut  afF  the  giant's  heads 

With  ae  sweep  of  his  hand, 
Gaed  hame  and  marry'd  that  lady  fair, 
And  heir'd  her  father's  land. 


KING  MALCOLM  AND  SIR  COLVIN^. 

This  old  romantic  tale  has  appeared  in  print  in  the  following 
works  : — 

I.  Under  the  title  of  "Sir  Cauline,"  in  Percy's  Reliques,  vol. 

i.,  p.  38,  2d  edit.,  1767. 
II.  Under  the   above  title,  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and 

Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  6. 
III.  Under  the  title  of  "  Sir  Cawline,"  in  Bishop  Percy's  Folio 

Manuscript  (printed  copy),  vol.  iii.,  p.  1. 
The  version  given  in  the  Reliques  extends  to  392  lines,  while  the 
last-named  copy  contains  201  lines,  only  162  of  which  are  represented 
in  the  Reliques  ;  the  concluding  portion  of  the  MS.  copy  being  either 
omitted,  or  completely  perverted  by  Bishop  Percy  in  his  version. 
These  are  facts  which  the  apparently  innate  modesty  of  the  ingenuous 
and  venerable  prelate  led  him,  in  this  instance,  to  conceal  under  the 
prefatory  statement  that  the  copy  "preserv^ed  in  the  editor's  folio  MS." 
was  "  in  so  very  defective  and  mutilated  a  condition  (not  from  any  chasm 
in  the  MS.,  but  from  great  omission  in  the  transcript,  probably  copied 
from  the  faulty  recitation  of  some  illiterate  minstrel),  and  the  whole 
appeared  so  far  short  of  the  perfection  it  seemed  to  deserve,  that  the 
editor  was  tempted  to  add  several  stanzas  in  the  first  part,  and  still 
more  in  the  second,  to  connect  and  complete  the  story  in  the  manner 
which  api)eared  to  him  most  interesting  and  afiFecting;"  but  which  un- 
fortunately appears  to  others,  as  rather  "most"  stilted  and  affected. 
It  is  well,  however,  that  the  world,  or  at  least  the  English  reading 
portion  of  it,  should  now  be  aware  of  the  full  extent  of  its  or  their 
indebtedness  to  the  worthy  prelate ;  and  this  it  or  they  are  now  en- 
abled to  estimate  by  comparing  the  "Sir  CauUne"oi  the  Reliques 
with  the  "Sir  Cawline"  of  the  MS.,  as  it  appears  in  the  printed 
copy  issued  by  or  in  connection  with  the  Early  English  Text 
Society. 

Mr.    Buchan's  version  comprises  27   stanzas,    and  numbers   110 
lines. 


KING  MALCOLM  AND  SIR  COLVINE.  151 


It  omits  the  apocryphal  billing  and  cooing  which  the  taste  and  in- 
vention of  the  Bishop  led  him  to  tag  on  as  a  fitting  finale  to  his  first 
part ;  and  it  entirely  omits  his  second  part,  with  its  perverted  termin- 
ation, but  finishes  with  one  stanza  in  accord  with  the  denouement  of 
the  MS.  copy. 

Yet  the  editor  or  editors  of  the  MS.  copy,  not  satisfied  with  his 
or  their  exposure  of  the  English  prelate,  which  there  is  ample  evidence 
to  substantiate,  cannot  stop  short,  but  must  in  the  flush  of  victory 
proceed  to  play  the  role  of  literary  bravo  or  bravos  against  the  Scotish 
editor,  by  insinuating  that  "there  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  [his 
version]  is  one  of  that  collector's  many  fabrications," — not  a  tittle  of 
evidence  being  adduced  in  support  of  this,  to  say  the  least  of  it, 
most  uncharitable  accusation. 

Probably  the  editor  or  editors  thought  something  necessary  in  order 
to  appease  the  manes  of  the  convicted  prelate,  and  satisfy  the  genius 
of  their  country, — too  often  tremblingly  and  meanly  jealous  of  Scot- 
land and  of  Scotsmen ;  but  if  so,  it  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  he  or 
they  could  think  of  no  other  and  better  way  than  by  this  attempt  to 
immolate  the  reputation  and  outrage  the  memory  of  a  deceased 
collector  and  editor,  notoriously  as  honest  as  he  was  painstaking. 

Nor  is  it  on  this  ground  alone  that  they  are  open  to  animadversion, 
as  it  can  easily  be  shown  that  the  ignorance  and  sycophancy  of  this 
contemptible  coterie  of  padding  manufacturers  is  quite  on  a  par  with 
their  egotism,  impertinence,  and  malignity.  And  that  we  do  not  need 
to  travel  far  for  proof  of  this,  let  the  following  fawning  paragraph, 
which  immediately  precedes  the  attack  made  on  the  late  Mr.  Buchan, 
testify  :  — 

' '  As  Mr.  Fumival,  in  his  original  proposal  for  the  publication  of 
.  the  folio,  said  : — '  With  a  true  instinct  Professor  Child  remarked  in  his 
Ballads  (ed.  1861,  vol.  iii.,  p.  172),  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that 
this  charming  romance  had  so  tragic  and  so  sentimental  a  con- 
clusion.' " 

Now  let  us  quote  the  words  of  Mr.  Motherwell,  the  steadfast  And 
appreciative  friend  of  Mr.  Buchan,  and  the  precursor,  if  not  the 
actual  inspirer  of  this  marvellous  intuition  which  Mr.  Furnival 
and  his  coadjutors  delight  to  honour.     He  says  : — 

"How  much  it  (Sir  Cauline)  owes  to  the  taste  and  genius  of  its 
editor,  M'e  have  not  the  means  of  ascertaining  ;  but  that  his  interpola- 
tions and  additions  have  been  very  considerable,  any  one  acquainted 
with  ancient  minstrelsy  will  have  little  room  to  doubt.  We  suspect 
too  that  the  original  ballad  had  a  less  melancholy  catastrophe,  and 
that  the  brave  Syr  Cauline,  after  his  combat  with  the  '  hend  soldan,' 
derived  as  much  benefit  from  the  leechcraft  of  fair  Christabelle  as  he 
did  after  winning  the  Eldridge  sword." 

Referring  to  the  theory  of  another  accomplished,  but  prematurely 
cut  off,  ballad  editor  and  annotator,  Mr.  Motherwell  adds  : — 

"  Between  this  ballad  and  some  parts  of  the  metrical  romance  of 
iS'Jr  Tristrem,  the  late  Mr.  Finlay  of  Glasgow  affects  to  discover  a 
resemblance ;  but  he  has  not  condescended  to  trace  a  parallel  between 
them.  Indeed,  we  cannot  help  thinking,  for  all  he  says  to  the 
contrary,  that  his  reasoning  is  no  whit  superior  to  Fluellin's  : — '  There 


152  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


is  a  river  at  Macedon,  and  there  is  also  moreover  a  river  at  Mon- 
mouth :'  and,  according  to  Mr.  Finlay,  'there  is  an  Irish  king  and 
his  daughter  in  "Sir  Cauline."'  And  there  is  also,  moreover,  an 
Irish  king  and  his  daughter  in  Sir  Tristrem.  The  concealed  love  of 
Sir  Cauline  for  one  so  much  above  him  in  station  will  remind  the 
reader  of  the  gentle 

' Squyer  of  lowe  degrfe 

That  loved  the  king's  donghter  of  Hungre.'" 

Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modern,  p.  99. 

As  regards  the  nationality  of  the  ballad,  it  appears  from  the  Percy 
Folio  MS.  (printed  copy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  1,  footnote),  that  Bishop  Percy 
had  indicated,  and  we  believe  correctly,  his  opinion  in  the  following 
terms,  as  inscribed  by  him  on  the  MS.  : — 

"A  strange  romantic  old  song, — very  defective  and  obscure. — 
N.B.  This  seemes  to  have  been  originally  a  Scotch  song,  which  will 
account  for  its  being  so  corrupted. ^ — P."  We  presume  his  meaning 
to  be  that,  on  account  of  its  being  Scotch,  the  English  reciter  and 
transcriber  did  not  fully  understand,  and  consequently  corrupted  it. 

"  King  Malcolm  and  Sir  Colvine,"  as  here  printed,  is  collated,  with 
some  editorial  license,  from  ■'  Sir  Cawline,"  Bishop  Percy's  Folio  MS., 
printed  copy,  vol.  iii.,  pp.  4-11,  lines  31  to  129  inclusive,  and  from 
Mr.  Buchan's  ballad,  "King  Malcolm  and  Sir  Colvin;"  but  the 
latter  is  the  one  chiefly  followed. 

The  original  version  of  the  latter  ends  with  the  following  stanza  : — 

"  TJp  he  has  ta'en  that  bluidy  hand, 
Set  it  before  the  king; 
And  the  mom  it  was  Wednesday. 
When  he  married  his  daughter  Jean." 

As  an  appropriate  prelude,  the  following  stanzas,  which  form  the 
beginning  of  the  ballad  of  "  Sir  Cawline  "  in  Bishop  Percy's  Folio 
MS.,  are  here  given  verbatim  from  the  printed  copy,  vol.  ilL,  pp.  3 
and  4 : — 

"  leaus :  lord  mickle  of  might, 
that  dyed  ffor  vs  on  the  roods 
to  maintaine  vs  in  all  our  right, 
4       that  loues  true  English  blood. 

"ffor  by  a  Knight  I  say  my  song, 
vras  bold  &  ffull  hardye; 
Sir  Eobert  Briuse  wold  fforth  to  fflght 
8       in-to  Ireland  ouer  the  sea; 

"  &  in  that  land  dwells  a  king 

■which  ouer  all  does  beare  the  bell, 
&  with  him  there  dwelled  a  curteous  'Saiight, 
12       men  call  him  Sir  Cawline. 

"And  he  hathe  a  Ladye  to  his  daughter, 
of  ffashyon  shee  hath  noe  peere: 
Knights  and  lordes  they  woed  her  both, 
IG       trusted  to  haue  beene  her  peers. 

"  Sir  Cawline  loues  her  best  of  on^, 
but  nothing  durst  hee  say 
to  descreeue  his  counsell  to  noe  man, 
20       but  deerlye  loued  this  mayd. 


KING  MALCOLM  AND  SIR   COLVINE.  153 


"  till  itt  beffeU  vpon  a  day, 
great  dill  to  him  was  dight, 
the  maydens  loue  remoued  his  mind, 
24       to  care  bed  went  the  Knight ; 

"  &  one  while  he  spread  his  armes  him  ffroe, 
&  cryed  soe  pittyouslye 
ffor  the  maydens  loue  that  1  haue  most  minde, 
28       this  day  may  comfort  mee, 
or  else  ere  noone  I  shal  be  dead! 
thus  can  Sir  Cawline  say." 

Compare,  in  particular,  lines  21  to  28,  with  stanza  7  of  "  Young 
Konald,"  ante,  p.  146. 

1  There  lived  a  king  in  fair  Scotland, 

King  Malcolm  call'd  by  name, 

Kenown'd,  as  history  doth  record, 

For  valour,  worth,  and  fame. 

2  Now,  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day. 

This  king  sat  down  to  dine; 
And  then  he  miss'd  a  favourite  knight, 
Whqpe  name  was  Sir  Colvine. 

3  But  out  then  spake  another  knight, 

Ane  of  Sir  Colvine's  kin : 
"  Sir  Colvine  's  sick  and  like  to  die, 
And  needing  good  leechin'." 

4  "  Go  fetch  to  him  my  daughter  dear, 

She  is  a  leech  full  fine; 
And  take  ye  bread,  and  wine  so  red, 
To  give  to  Sir  Colvine. 

5  "  No  dainties  let  Sir  Colvine  lack, 

Spare  nothing  that  is  mine ; 
A  knight  so  leal  and  brave  as  he, 
I  wou'd  be  loth  to  tyne," 

6  The  king's  daughter  did  bear  the  bread, 

Her  page  did  bear  the  wine, 
And  set  a  table  at  his  bed, — 
"  Sir  Colvine,  rise  and  dine." 

7  "  Oh,  well  love  I  the  wine,  lady. 

Comes  frae  your  lovely  hand ; 
But  better  I  love  yoursel',  lady, 
Than  all  fair  Scotland's  strand. 

8  "  And  it  is  for  your  love,  lady, 

That  all  this  dule  I  dree  ; 
But  grant  your  love,  seal'd  with  a  kiss, 
And  I  wou'd  pass  from  bale  to  bliss, 

And  nane  mair  happy  be." 


154  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND, 


9     "Oh,  hold  your  tongue  now,  Sir  Col  vine, 
Let  all  your  folly  be; 
My  love  must  be  by  honour  won, 
Or  nane  shall  marry  me." 

10  "  Alas,  full  well  I  know,  lady, 

I  cannot  be  your  peer, 
But  I'd  fain  do  some  deed  of  arms 
To  be  your  bacheleer." 

11  "  Then  hie  ye  to  the  Elrick  hill. 

Near  by  yon  sharp  hawthorn. 
Where  never  man  did  walk  all  night 
Since  Christ  our  Lord  was  born. 

12  "  Oh,  hie  ye  there  and  waik  all  night, 

And  boldly  blaw  your  horn; 
And  if  with  honour  ye  return, 
I'll  marry  ye  the  morn." 

13  Then  up  Sir  Colvine  quickly  raise, 

For  battle  has  him  boun'; 
And  said — "  Fair  lady,  for  your  sake, 
I'll  walk  the  bebt  sae  brown. 

14  "  And  I  will  bring  a  token  back. 

Or  never  mair  be  seen  ;" 
Then  forth  Sir  Colvine  proudly  walk'dj 
Clad  in  his  armour  keen. 

15  He  hied  him  to  the  Elrick  hill, 

To  walk  and  waik  all  night; 
And  the  lady  to  her  chamber  v/ent, 
With  all  her  maidens  bright. 

16  At  midnight  mirk  the  moon  did  rise, 

While  he  walk'd  up  and  down ; 
And  a  lightsome  bugle  he  heard  sound. 
Over  the  bent  sae  brown. 

17  Then  near  him  by,  the  knight  did  spy, 

By  the  twinkling  of  an  e'e, 
A  fierce-like  knight  and  lady  bright, 
Wha  comely  was  to  see. 

18  This  fierce  knight  call'd  to  Sir  Colvine, — 

"  0  man,  I  rede  thee,  flee; 
I  bear  a  brand  both  sharp  and  broad. 
Will  quarter  you  in  three ; 


KING  MALCOLM  AND   SIR  COLVINE.  155 


19  "  For  there 's  never  man  comes  to  this  hill. 

But  he  maun  fight  with  me ; 
And  if  cryance  come  thy  heart  intil, 
It's  here  that  ye  maun  dee." 

20  Sir  Colvine.  said — "  I'm  not  afraid 

Of  any  here  I  see ; 
In  Christ  above  I  put  my  trust, 
And  therefore  dread  not  thee." 

21  Sir  Colvirie  then  he  drew  his  sword, 

The  fierce  knight  drew  his  brand; 
And  stiff  and  stoure  and  stark  and  doure, 
Each  other  did  withstand. 

22  But  Colvine,  with  an  awkward  stroke. 

Struck  off  the  knight's  right  hand, 
And  down  fell  hand,  and  down  fell  brand, 
Upon  the  Elrick  land. 

23  The  fingers  of  the  hand  that  fell. 

Were  girt  with  five  rings  round; 
And  the  rings  that  were  these  fingers  ohj 
Were  worth  five  hundred  pound. 

24  "I  yield,  I  yi6ld,"  the  fierce  knight  said^ 

'•  I  fairly  yield  to  thee ; 
No  man  e'er  came  to  Elrick  hill 
E'er  gain'd  such  victorie. 

25  "  I  and  my  forbears  here  did  haunt 

A  thousand  years  and  more ; 

I'm  safe  to  swear  a  solemn  oath, 

We  ne'er  were  beat  before." 

26  Then  the  knight's  fair  lady  wrung  her  band, 

And  Colvine  did  implore: 
"  For  love  of  her,  whom  you  love  most, 
Pray  smite  my  lord  no  more. 

27  "  But  give  me  back  my  wotmded  knight, 

Let  us  fare  on  our  way; 
And  never  more,  on  Elrick  hill, 
For  rapine  or  for  play; 

28  "  No,  never  more,  on  Elrick  hill, 

By  night  nor  yet  by  day. 
Shall  we  molest  the  race  of  men, 
On  Christ  their  trust  doth  lay." 


156  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


29     Sir  Colvine  set  the  Elrick  knight 
Upon  his  steed  again, 
Who  with  his  lady  leal  and  fair 
Eade  oif  with  might  and  main. 

80     Sir  Colvine  then  took  up  the  hand, 
With  five  rings  it  upon, 
Likewise  the  brand  as  hard  as  flint, 
And  homeward  he  has  gone. 

31     There  to  the  king's  fair  daughter  gave 
These  tokens  of  his  love, 
Won  by  the  might  of  his  right  arm, 
And  trust  in  Christ  above. 


SIR  CAWLINE. 

The  following  stanzas,  which  narrate  the  adventures  of  "  Sir  Caw- 
line  "  after  his  return  from  his  combat  with  the  "  Elrick"  or  "  Eldridge 
king"  or  "knight,"  are  here  given  verbatim  from  the  Percy  Folio 
MS.,  printed  copy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  II. 

They  begin  abruptly,  which  led  Bishop  Percy  to  note  on  the  MS., 
"  Some  very  great  omission  here,"  and  induced  him  to  tax  his  inven- 
tion to  lill  the  gap  ;  which  he  accordingly  did,  to  the  extent,  and  in 
the  manner,  previously  indicated. 

The  fight  with  the  "  Gyant  "  or  "  Soldan  "  bears  considerable  re- 
semblance to  the  concluding  portion  of  "Young  Konald  "  (a7ite,  p.  149) ; 
and  the  adventure  with  the  "  Lion  "  finds  its  counterpart  in  the  hfe 
of  the  Scotish  patriot  Sir  William  Wallace,  as  narrated  by  Henry 
the  MinstreL 

The  incident  is  said  to  have  occurred  during  the  sojourn  of  Wallace 
in  France,  and  to  have  been  brought  about  through  the  jealousy  of  the 
French  courtiers,  who  thought,  by  means  of  this  plot,  to  get  rid  of  the 
indomitable  Scot,  whose  sujieriority  they  could  ill  brook,  but  whose 
l)rowess  they  had  seen,  felt,  and  feared. 

The  resemblance  may  be  seen  from  the  following  extract,  the  ortho- 
graphy of  which  has  been  modernized,  but  which  in  other  respects  is 
given  as  it  appears  in  the  original. 

235  "  This  thing  admitted  was, 

That  Wallace  shou'd  on  to  the  Lion  pass. 

The  king  then  chaig'd  to  bring  him  gude  harness: 

And  he  said,  'Nay,  God  shield  me  frae  sic  case. 

I  wou'd  take  weid,  shou'd  I  flght  with  a  man;  ^ 

240       But  [for]  a  dog,  that  nought  of  arms  can, 

I  will  have  nane,  but  singular  as  I  gae.' 

A  great  mantle  about  his  hand  'gan  take. 

And  his  gude  sword;  with  him  he  took  uae  mair; 

Abandonly  in  barrea  enter'd  there. 


SIR  CAWLINE. 


157 


245    Great  chains  was  wTOught  in  the  gate  with  a  gin, 

And  pull'tl  it  to  when  Wallace  was  therein. 

The  wud  Lion,  on  Wallace  where  he  stood, 

Kampant  he  brayed,  for  he  desired  blood; 

With  his  rude  paws  in  the  mantle  wrought  sae. 
250    Athwart  the  back  then  Wallace  'gan  him  tat*. 

With  his  gude  sword  that  was  of  burnish'd  steel. 

His  body  in,  twa  it  thruschyt  euirilk  deill." 

— Blind  Harry's  Wallace,  p.  324,  Jamieson's  ed. ,  Glasgow,  1869, 

The  plotting  of  the  courtiers,  which  led  to  the  combat  between 
Wallace  and  the  lion,  recalls  to  recollection  the  story  of  Daiiiel  in  the 
den  of  lions ;  and  various  incidents  in  the  tale  of  Sir  Cawline  remind 
us  of  circumstances  in  the  history  of  David,  King  of  Israel. 

Bishop  Percy  omitted  the  portion  from  line  163  onwards. 

As  explained  by  Mr.  Fumivall,  "  The  expansions  of  contractions 
are  marked  in  the  text  by  italics,  after  the  German  plan  introduced 
(I  believe)  to  the  English  public  by  Mr.  Whitley  Stokes,  in  his  "  edition 
of  Tke  Plarj  of  the  Sacrament  for  the  Philological  Society. —Fore- 
wards,  p.  23,  (Bishop  Percy's  Folio  Manuscript,  printed  coj)y,  vol.  i.) 

&  a  Gyant  that  was  both  Stiffe  [&]  strong, 
he  lope  now  them  amonge, 
132     &  vpon  his  squier  5  heads  he  bare, 
vnmackley  "made  was  bee. 

&  he  dranke  then  ou  the  Kings  wine, 
&  he  put  the  cup  in  his  sleeue ; 
138     &  all  t\\6  trembled  &  were  wan 

flfor  feare  he  shold  them  greeffe. 

"  He  tell  thee  mine  Arrand,  King,"  he  sayes, 
"mine  errand  what  I  doe  heere; 
140    ffor  I  will  bren  thy  temples  hye, 
or  He  haue  thy  daughter  deere; 
in,  or  else  vpon,  yond  more  see  brood 
thou  shalt  ffind  mee  a  ppeare." 

144    the  King  he  turned  him  round  about, 
(Lord,  in  his  heart  he  was  woe !) 
says,  "  is  there  noe  Knight  of  the  round  tabia 
this  matter  will  vndergoe  ? 

148     "  I,  &  hee  shall  haue  my  broad  Lands, 
&  keepe  them  well  his  Hue; 
I,  and  soe  he  shall  my  daughter  deere, 
to  be  his  weded  wiffe." 

152     &  then  stood  vp  Sir  Cawline 
his  owne  errand  ifor  to  say : 
"ifaith,  I  wold  to  god,  S«r,"  sayd  Sir  Cawline, 
"  that  Soldan  I  will  assay. 


158  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


156    "goe,  ffeitch  me  downe  my  Eldrige  sword, 
ffor  I  woone  itt  att  [a]  ffray." 
"but  away,  away!"  sayd  the  hend  Soldan, 
"thou  tarryest  mee  here  all  day!" 

160    but  the  hend  Soldan  &  Sir  Cawline 
thd  flfought  a  Summers  day  : 
now  has  hee  slaine  that  hend  Soldan, 
&  brought  his  6  heads  away. 

164    &  the  King  has  betaken  him  his  broade  lands 
&  all  his  venison.* 

"  but  take  you  too  &  yowr  Lands  [soe]  broad, 
&  brooke  them  well  yowr  lifife, 
168    flfor  you  promised  me  your  daughter  deere 
to  be  my  weded  wiffe." 

"  now  by  my  ffaith,"  then  says  our  King, 
"  fifor  that  wee  will  not  striffe ; 
172     ffor  thou  shalt  haue  my  daughter  dere 
to  be  thy  weded  wiffe." 

the  other  morninge  Sir  Cawline  rose 

by  the  dawning  of  the  day, 
176     &  vntill  a  garden  did  he  goe 

his  Mattins  ffor  to  say; 
&  that  bespyed  a  ffalse  steward — 

a  shames  death  that  he  might  dye  I — • 

180     &  he  lett  a  lyon  out  of  a  bande. 
Sir  Cawline  ffor  to  teare; 
&  he  had  noe  wepon  him  vpon, 
nor  noe  wepon  did  weare. 

184     but  hee  tooke  his  Mantle  of  greene, 
into  the  Lyons  mouth  itt  thrust ; 
he  held  the  Lyon  soe  sore  to  the  wall 
till  the  Lyons  hart  did  burst. 

188     &  the  watchmen  cried  vpon  the  walls 

&  sayd,  "  Sir  Cawlines  slaine! 
and  with  a  beast  is  not  ffull  litle, 

a  Lyon  of  Mickle  mayne  " 
192     then  the  Kings  daughter  shee  ffell  downe, 

"for  peerlesse  is  my  payne!  " 

♦And  preferred  them  to  Sir  CawVne 
All  for  his  warryson  (i.  e.,  reward). 


MAY  COLVINE  AND  FAUSE  SIR  JOHN.  159 


"  O  peace,  my  Lady ! "  sayes  Ser  Cawline, 
"  I  haue  bought  thy  loue  ffull  deere. 
196     0  peace,  my  Lady! "  sayes  Sir  Cawline, 
"  peace.  Lady,  flfor  I  am  heere ! " 

then  he  did  marry  this  Kings  daughter 
With  gold  and  siluer  bright, 
200    &  15  sonnes  this  Ladye  beere 
to  S»r  Cawline  the  Knight, 
ffins. 


MAY  COLVINE  AND  FAUSE  SIR  JOHN. 

This  ballad  was  first  published  in  Herd's  Ancient  and  Modern 
Scottish  Songs,  &c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  153.  "A  fuller  set,"  says  Motherwell, 
was  next  "given  by  Mr.  Sharpe  in  his  Ballad  Book  (p.  45),  taken 
from  recitation ;  but  I  have  seen  a  printed  stall  copy  as  early  as  1749, 
entitled  'The  Western  Tragedy,'  which  perfectly  agrees  with  Mr. 
Sharpe's  copy.  I  have  also  seen  a  later  stall  print,  called  'The  Histo- 
rical Ballad  of  MayCulzean,'  to  which  is  prefixed  some  local  tradition 
that  the  lady  there  celebrated  was  of  the  family  of  Kennedy,  and 
that  her  treacherous  and  murder-minting  lover  was  an  Ecclesiastick  of 
the  monastery  of  Maybole.  In  the  parish  of  Ballautrae,  on  the  sea- 
coast,  there  is  a  frowning  precipice  pointed  out  to  the  traveller  as 
'  Fause  Sir  John's  Loup. '  In  the  North  Country,  at  the  Water  of 
Ugie,  I  am  informed  by  Mr.  Buchan,  there  is  a  similar  distinction 
claimed  for  some  precipice  there.  The  same  gentleman  has  recovered 
other  two  ballads  on  a  similar  story :  one  called  '  The  Water  o' 
Wearie's  Well;'  and  the  other,  from  its  burden,  named  'Aye  as  the 
Gowans  grow  Gay,'  in  both  of  which  the  heroes  appear  to  have 
belonged  to  the  Elfin  tribe. " — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction, 
p.  Ixx. ,  note  24. 

In  the  same  work  (p.  67),  Mr.  Motherwell  printed  "a  copy  ob- 
tained from  recitation,  collated  with"  the  "copy  to  be  found  in" 
Herd's  collection. 

In  addition  to  the  two  ballads  named  by  Mr.  Motherwell,  as  re- 
covered by  Mr.  Buchan,  the  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  &c.,  of  the 
latter  contain  (vol.  ii.,  p.  45)  yet  another  Scotish  version  of  this 
widely-spread  ballad. 

"The  story  of  this  ballad,"  says  Professor  Child,  "has  apparently 
some  connection  with  Bluebeard,  but  it  is  hard  to  say  what  the  con- 
nection is  (see  Fitcher's  Vogel  in  the  Grimms'  K.  u.  H. — Mdrchen,  No. 
46,  and  notes).  The  versions  of  the  ballad  in  other  languages  are  all 
but  innumerable." — Professor  Child's  English  and  Scottish  Ballads, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  271. 

"In  England,"  says  the  annotator  of  Scottish  Traditional  Versions 
of  Anient  Ballads,  "the  tale  is  well  known  and  popular,  under  the 
title  of  'The  Outlandish  Knight,'  of  which  ballad  stall  copies  of  con- 
siderable antiquity  are  in  existence;"  and  in  the  same  work  there 


IGO  BALLAD   MIXSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


appears  (p.  101)  a  modernized  version,  as  originally  commnnicated  by 
Mr.  James  H.  Dixon  "to  The  Tdble-Book  of  the  late  Mr.  Hone." 

Mr.  Chambers  states  that  "  Carlton  Castle,  abont  two  miles  to  the 
south  of  Girvan  (a  tall  old  ruin  situated  on  the  brink  of  a  bank  which 
overhangs  the  sea),  is  affirmed  by  the  country  people,  who  still  remem- 
ber the  story  with  great  freshness,  to  have  been  the  residence  of  'the 
fause  Sir  John;'  while  a  tall  rocky  eminence,  called  Gamesloup, 
overhanging  the  sea,  about  two  miles  farther  south,  and  over  which 
the  road  passes  in  a  style  terrible  to  all  travellers,  is  pointed  out  as 
the  place  where  he  was  in  the  habit  of  drowning  his  wives,  and  where 
he  was  finally  drowned  himself." — Scottish  Ballads,  p.  232. 

Mr.  Jamieson's  observation  on  the  transposition  of  "names,  time, 
and  ])lace,"  in  traditionary  story,  as  quoted,  ante,  p.  30,  appears  pecuU- 
arly  applicable  in  connection  with  this  ballad. 

The  pilfering  propensities  of  May  Colvine  are  moderate  in  com- 
parison with  the  "  sixty  thousand  pounds"  abstracted  by  the  heroiue 
in  "Leesome  Brand,"  ante,  p.  60.  Moreover,  such  actions  seem  to 
have  been  common;  for,  in  "the  romantic  story  of  '  Sir  Sampson  and 
Hildesvida,'  the  daughter  of  Jarl  Rudgeir,  with  which  the  Wilkina 
Saga  commences,  as  in  the  Swedish  and  Danish  ballads  of  '  Fair 
Midel,'  &c.,  the  knight  causes  the  lady  to  pack  up  all  the  plate  and 
treasure  she  can  get  her  hands  on,  to  carry  away  with  her." — Jamie- 
son's  Illustrations  of  Northern  Antiquities,  p.  318. 

1  Heard  ye  ever  of  a  bluidy  knight 

Lived  in  the  West  Countrie, 

Wha  did  betray  eight  virgins  fair, 

And  drown  them  in  the  sea? 

2  All  ladies  of  a  gude  account^ 

As  ever  yet  were  known : 
This  traitor  was  a  baron  knight, 
They  call'd  him  fause  Sir  John. 

8     Then  fause  Sir  John  a-wooing  came 
To  a  maid  of  beauty  rare  ; 
May  Colvine  was  this  lady's  name, 
Her  father's  only  heir. 

4  He  courted  her  baith  but  and  ben, 

And  urgently  did  pray, 
That  May  Colvine  would  give  consent 
To  mount  and  ride  away. 

5  Said  he — "  I  am  a  knight  of  might, 

Of  town-lands  twenty-three  ; 
And  you'll  be  lady  of  them  all, 
If  you  will  gang  with  me." 


MAY  COLVINE  AND  FAUSE  SIR  JOHN.  161 

6  "  Excuse  me,  gude  Sir  John,"  she  said, 

"  To  wed  I  am  too  yoUng ; 
Without  you  have  my  parents'  leave, 
With  you  I  darena  gang." 

7  "  Your  parents'  leave  you  soon  shall  have, 

To  this  they  will  agree ; 
For  I  have  made  a  solemn  vow. 
This  night  you'll  gang  with  me." 

8  Frae  below  his  arm  he  pull'd  a  charm^ 

And  stuck  it  in  her  sleeve ; 
And  he  has  made  her  gang  with  him, 
Without  her  parents'  leave. 

9  From  her  father's  coffers  she  took  out 

Of  gold  five  hundred  pound ; 
And  from  his  stable  she  took  out 
The  best  steed  cou'd  be  found. 

10  Then  privately  they  rade  away, 

They  made  nae  stop  nor  stay, 

Nor  curb'd  nor  drew  the  bridle  reiii 

Till  they  reach'd  Binyan  Bay. 

11  This  bay  lay  in  a  lonely  place, 

Nae  habitation  nigh; 
And  girt  by  rocks  baith  high  and  steep, 
Where  nane  could  hear  her  cry. 

12  "  Light  down,  light  down,  fair  May  Colvine,, 

Your  bridal  bed  you  see  ; 
For  here  I've  drown 'd  eight  virgins  brave. 
And  you  the  ninth  maun  be." 

13  "  Are  these  your  bow'rs  and  lofty  towers, 

Sae  beautiful  and  gay? 
Or  is  it  for  my  gold,"  she  said, 
"  You  take  my  life  away  ?  " 

14  "  Cast  aff,  cast  aff  your  jewels  fine, 

Sae  costly,  rich,  and  brave  ; 
They  are  too  costly  and  too  fine 
To  sink  in  the  sea  wave." 

15  Then  aff  she  's  ta'en  her  jewels  fine, 

And  thus  she  made  her  moan  : 
"  Have  mercy  on  a  virgin  yovmg, 
I  pray  you,  gude  Sir  John ! " 
u 


162  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


16  "  Cast  aff,  cast  aff,  fair  May  Colvine, 

Your  gown  and  petticoat ; 
For  they're  too  costly  and  too  fine, 
In  salt  sea  foam  to  rot." 

17  "  Take  all  I  have,  my  life  to  save, 

0  gude  Sir  John,  I  pray; 
Let  it  ne'er  be  said  you  kill'd  a  maid 
Upon  her  wedding-day," 

18  "  Strip  aflf,  strip  afi"  your  Holland  smock, 

That 's  border'd  with  the  lawn; 
For  it 's  too  costly  and  too  fiue 
To  toss  on  the  sea  sand." 

19  "  Oh,  turn  ye  round,  thou  gude  Sir  John, 

Your  back  about  to  me  ;* 
It  is  not  comely  for  a  man 
A  naked  woman  to  see," 

20  But  as  Sir  John  he  tum'd  him  round, 

She  threw  him  in  the  sea ; 
Says — "Lye  ye  there,  ye  fause  Sir  John, 
Where  you  thought  to  lay  me. 

21  "  Oh,  lye  ye  there,  ye  traitor  fause, 

Where  you  thought  to  lay  me; 
You  wou'd  ha'e  stript  me  to  the  skin, 
But  get  your  claise  with  thee." 

22  "  Oh,  help !  oh,  help  now,  May  Colvine  I 

Oh,  help  !  or  else  I  drown! 
I'll  take  you  to  your  father's  gate, 
And  safely  set  ye  down." 

23  "  Nae  help,  nae  help,  thou  fause  Sir  John, 

Nae  help  to  such  as  thee  ; 
You  lye  not  in  a  caulder  bed 
Than  that  you  meant  for  me ! 

24  "  Lye  there,  lye  there,  thou  traitor  fause. 

Your  bed  the  gurgling  sea ; 
If  you  ha'e  bedded  eight  damsels  there. 
The  ninth  has  bedded  thee." 

25  Then  she  mounted  on  her  father's  steed. 

And  swiftly  rode  away. 
Arriving  at  her  father's  house 
At  breaking  of  the  day. 

*  Variation:  "And  look  to  the  leaf  of  the  tree."— Motherweli 


MAY  COLVINE  AND   FAUSE  SIR  JOHN.  163 


26  Then  out  the  wily  parrot  spake, 

Unto  fair  May  Colvine : 
"  What  ha'e  ye  done  with  fause  Sir  John, 
That  you  went  with  yestreen  ?  " 

27  "  Oh,  haud.your  tongue,  my  pretty  poll, 

And  talk  nae  mair  of  me  ; 
And  for  every  meal  ye  got  before, 
My  poll,  ye  will  ha'e  three. 

28  "  Oh,  haud  your  tongue,  my  pretty  poll, 

Lay  not  the  blame  on  me ; 
Your  cage  shall  be  of  the  beaten  gold, 
And  the  spokes  of  ivory." 

29  It 's  up  then  spake  her  father  dear,* 

Frae  chamber  where  he  lay  : 
"  What  aileth  thee,  my  pretty  poll, 
That  ye  chat  sae  ere  day  ?  " 

30  "  The  cat  she  scratch'd  at  my  cage  door, 

And  fain  wou'd  worry'd  me, 
And  I  call'd  in  fair  May  Colvine       » 
To  take  the  cat  frae  me." 

31  Then  first  she  tauld  her  mother  dear 

Concerning  fause  Sir  John; 
And  next  she  tauld  her  father  dear 
The  deed  that  she  had  done. 

32  "  If  that  be  true,  fair  May  Colvine, 

That  ye  ha'e  tauld  to  me, 
fo-day,  ere  I  do  eat  or  drink. 
This  fause  Sir  John  I'll  see." 

33  Then  aff  they  went,  with  one  consent, 

At  dawning  of  the  day, 
Until  they  came  to  Carline  sands. 
And  there  his  body  lay. 

34  His  body  tall,  with  that  great  fall. 

On  waves  toss'd  to  and  fro, 
The  diamond  ring  that  he  had  on 
Had  broke  in  pieces  two. 

35  And  they  ha'e  taken  up  his  corpse 

To  yonder  pleasant  green  ; 
And  there  they  buried  fause  Sir  John, 
For  fear  he  shou'd  be  seen. 

•  "  Up  then  spake  the  king  himself." — ^MotherwelL 


164  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


36     Ye  ladies  all,  where'er  you  be, 
That  read  this  mournful  song, 
I  pray  you  mind  on  May  Colvine, 
And  think  on  fause  Sir  John. 


THE  WATER  0'  WEARIE'S  WELL. 

From  Bnchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  201. 

As  remarked  by  Professor  Child,  this  appears  to  "  be  a  compound  of 
two  ballad.s,  the  conclusion  being  taken  from  a  story  of  the  character 
of 'May  Colvine.' 

"Full  details  upon  the  corresponding  Scandinavian,  German,  and 
Slavic  legends  are  given  by  Grundt, — viz. ,  in  the  preface  to  '  Noekkens 
Svig,'  Danmarks  G.  Folkeviser,  vol.  ii.,  p.  57 — translated  by  Jamieson, 
vol.  L,  p.  210 ;  and  by  Monk  Lewis,  Tales  of  Wonder,  No.  11." — English 
and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  198. 

Another  translation  of  "Marstigs,"  or  "Marc  Stig's  Daughter," 
appears  in  Old  Danish  Ballads,  from  Grimm'' s  Collection;  and  in  this 
latter  work,  p.  132,  it  is  said  to  refer  to  "the  exiled  daughter  of  a 
Danish  noblemat  executed  for  the  murder  of  King  Erick  Ghpping 
(A.D.  1286)." 

1  There  came  a  bird  out  of  a  btish, 

On  water  for  to  dine ; 
And,  sigliin'  sair,  says  the  king's  daughter, — 
"Oh,  wae's  this  heart  of  mine!" 

2  He's  ta'en  a  harp  into  his  hand, 

He's  harp'd  them  all  asleep; 
Except  it  was  the  king's  daughter, 
Wha  ae  wink  cou'dna  get. 

3  He's  luppen  on  his  berry -brown  steed, 

Ta'en  her  behind  himsel' ; 
Then  baith  rade  down  to  that  water 
That  they  call  Wearie's  Well. 

4  "  Wade  in,  wade  in,  my  ladye  fair, 

No  harm  shall  thee  befall; 
Oft  times  ha'e  I  water'd  my  steed 
With  the  water  o'  Wearie's  Well." 

5  The  first  step  that  she  steppit  in, 

She  steppit  to  the  knee; 
And,  sighin'  sair,  says  this  lady  fair, — 
"This  water's  no  for  me." 


LADY  ISABEL  AOT)  THE  ELF  KNIGHT.  165 


6  '•  Wade  in,  wade  in,  my  ladye  fair, 

No  harm  shall  thee  befall ; 
Oft  times  ha'e  I  water'd  my  steed 
With  the  water  o'  Wearie's  Well." 

7  The  next  step  that  she  steppit  in, 

She  steppit  to  the  middle; 
And,  sighin'  sair,  says  this  lady  fair, — 
"  I've  wet  my  gowden  girdle." 

8  "  Wade  in,  wade  in,  my  ladye  fair. 

No  harm  shall  thee  befall ; 
Oft  times  ha'e  I  water'd  my  steed 
With  the  water  o'  Wearie's  Well." 

9  The  next  step  that  she  steppit  in. 

She  steppit  to  the  chin; 
And,  sighin'  sair,  says  this  lady  fair, — 
"They  shou'd  gar  twa  loves  twin." 

10  "  Seven  king's  daughters  I've  drown'd  there, 

In  the  water  o'  Wearie's  Well ; 
And  I'll  make  ye  the  eight  of  them, 
And  ring  the  common  bell." 

11  "  Since  I  am  standin'  here,"  she  says, 

"  This  dowie  death  to  dee. 
One  kiss  of  your  comelie  mouth, 
I'm  sure,  wou'd  comfort  me." 

12  He  louted  him  o'er  his  saddle-bow, 

To  kiss  her  cheek  and  chin; 
She  's  ta'en  him  in  her  arms  twa. 
And  thrown  him  headlong  in. 

13  "  Since  seven  king's  daughters  ye've  drown'd  there, 

In  the  water  o'  Wearie's  Well, 
I'll  make  ye  bridegroom  to  them  all. 
And  ring  the  bell  mysel'." 

14  And  aye  she  warsled,  and  aye  she  strave, 

Till  to  dry  land  she  swam; 
Then  thankit  God  most  cheerfullie. 
For  the  dangers  she'd  o'ercam'. 


LADY  ISABEL  AND  THE  ELF  KNIGHT. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  22,  where  it 
is  entitled  "  The  Gowans  sae  Gay." 
Referring    to    this    and   the   preceding   ballad,   Professor  Child 


1G6  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


observes: — "It  is  possible  that  in  both  instances  two  independent 
Stories  have  been  blended;  but  it  is  curious  that  the  same  inter- 
mixture should  occur  in  Norse  and  German  also." 

Professor  Child  regards  the  hero  of  the  preceding  ballad  as  a  "  Nix, 
or  Merman,"  that  of  the  present  being  an  Elf,  "  though,"  as  he 
correctly  remarks,  "  the  punishment  awarded  to  each  of  them  in  the 
catastrophe,  as  the  ballads  now  exist,  is  not  consistent  with  their 
8ui)ematural  character." 

We  shall  have  "  the  Elf  Knight  introduced,  under  the  same  circum- 
stances," in  a  subsequent  portion  of  this  collection, — "indeed,  the 
first  three  or  four  stanzas  are  common  to  both  pieces." — English  and 
Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  195. 

1  Faib  Isabel  sits  in  her  bow'r  sewing, 

Aye  as  the  gowans  grow  gay; 
There  she  heard  an  elf  knight  blawing  his  horn, 
The  first  morning  in  May. 

2  "  If  r  had  but  yon  horn  that  I  do  hear, 

And  yon  elf  knight  wha  blaws  it  to  be  my  dear." 

3  This  maiden  had  scarcely  these  words  spoken, 
Till  in  at  her  window  the  elf  knight  has  luppen. 

4  "  It's  a  very  strange  matter,  fair  maiden,"  said  he, 
"  I  canna  blaw  my  horn,  but  ye  call  on  me. 

5  "  But  will  ye  go  [with  me]  to  yon  greenwood  side? 
If  ye  canna  gang,  I  will  cause  you  to  ride." 

6  He  leapt  on  a  horse,  and  she  on  another. 
And  they  rode  on  to  the  greenwood  together. 

7  "  Light  down,  light  down,  Lady  Isabel,"  said  he, 
"  We  are  come  to  the  place  where  ye  are  to  dee." 

8  "  Ha'e  mercy,  ha'e  mercy,  kind  sir,  on  me, 
Till  ance  my  dear  father  and  mother  I  see." 

9  "  Oh,  it's  seven  king's  daughters  here  ha'e  I  slain, 
And  ye  shall  [now  here]  be  the  eight  of  them." 

10  "  Oh,  sit  down  a  while,  lay  your  head  on  my  knee. 
That  we  may  ha'e  some  rest  before  that  I  dee." 

11  She  stroak'd  him  sae  fast,  the  nearer  he  did  creep, 
[And]  with  a  small  charm  she  lull'd  him  fast  asleep. 

12  With  his  ain  sword-belt  sae  fast  as  she  bang  him. 
With  his  ain  dag-dirk  sae  sair  as  she  dang  him. 

13  "  If  seven  king's  daughters  here  ye  ha'e  slain, 
Lye  ye  here  a  husband  to  them  ilk  ane." 


THE  DEMON   LOVER.  167 


THE  DEMON  LOVER. 

"  This  ballad,  which  contains  some  verses  of  merit,  was  taken  down 
from  recitation  by  Mr.  William  Laidlaw,  tenant  in  Traquair-knowe. 
It  contains  a  legend  which,  in  various  shapes,  is  current  in  Scotland. 
I  remember  to  have  heJird  a  ballad,  in  which  a  fiend  is  introduced 
paying  his  addresses  to  a  beautiful  maiden ;  but,  disconcerted  by  the 
holy  herbs  which  she  wore  in  her  bosom,  makes  the  following  lines 
the  burden  of  his  courtship : — 

'  Gin  ye  wish  to  be  leman  mine, 
Lay  aside  the  St.  John's  wort  and  the  vervain.' 

"  The  heroine  of  the  following  tale  was  unfortunately  without  any 
similar  protection." — Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  194. 

Mr.  Motherwell  reprinted  the  ballad  in  his  Minstrelsy,  pp.  92-95  ; 
but  indicates  his  suspicion  that  Mr.  Laidlaw  "may  have  improved 
upon"  the  "original;  for,  with  all  our  industry,"  says  he,  "  we  have 
not  been  able  to  find  it  in  a  more  perfect  state  than  this."  Then 
follow  nine  verses,  eight  of  them  corresponding  to  verses  10,  11, 
16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  and  25,  of  the  ballad  as  here  printed  j  and  the  last 
is  inserted  in  the  page  following  this. 

Mr.  Buchan,  however,  with  his  usual  good  luck,  proved  himself 
more  fortunate  in  hunting  up  the  ballad  than  "the  indefatigable 
editor  of  Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modern;"  and  he  was  "therefore 
happy  "  to  have  it  in  his  ' '  power  to  convince  "  his  ' '  esteemed  friend  " 
that  "a  perfect  copy  of  this  curious  and  scarce  legend"  still  existed. 
"In  this  ballad,  it  is  not  a  demon  or  a  fiend  that  betrays  [the 
heroine]  Jeanie  Douglas,  but  the  spirit  of  her  own  first  true  love, 
James  Herries." — Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  &c.,  voL  L,  Ballad,  pp. 
214-218.     Note,  pp.  312-313. 

Professor  Child,  in  his  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  209. 
quotes  the  follo\vin^  ludicrous  "stanzas  from  a  version  of  this  ballad 
printed  at  Philadelphia  (and  called  'The  House  Carpenter'),"  as  "given 
in  Graham's  Illustrated  Magazine,  Sept.,  1858: — 

" '  I  might  have  married  the  king's  daughter  dear; ' 
'You  might  have  married  her,'  cried  she, 
'  For  I  am  married  to  a  house  carpenter,   • 
And  a  fine  young  man  is  he.' 

"  'Oh,  dry  np  your  tears,  my  own  true  love, 
And  cease  your  weeping,'  cried  he; 
'For  soon  you'll  see  your  own  happy  home. 
On  the  banks  of  old  Tennessee.' 

But  these  incongruous  verses  are,  in  substance — with  the  exception 
of  the  crowning  absurdity  of  the  last  two  lines — derived  from 
Buchan's  version  of  the  ballad,  which  latter  winds  up  with  the 
two  following  verses  : — 

"  The  fatal  flight  of  this  wretched  maid  (?) 
Did  reach  her  own  countrie; 
Her  husband  then  distracted  ran, 
And  this  lament  made  he : 


168  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


" '  Oh,  wae  be  to  the  ship,  the  ship, 
And  wae  be  to  the  sea. 
And  wae  be  to  the  mariners, 
Took  Jeanie  Douglas  frae  me  I '" 

Mr.  Motherwell's  fragment  ends  thus : — 

"  They  had  not  sailed  a  niile  awa, 
Never  a  mile  but  four, 
When  the  little  wee  ship  ran  round  about 
And  never  was  seen  more !  " 

Professor  Child  remarks,  that  "The  Devil  (Auld  Nick)  here  takes  the 
place  of  the  merman  (Nix)  of  the  ancient  ballad,"  ante,  p.  164 ;  "  and 
the  same  natural  substitution  [is]  noted  in  K.  U.  H. — Murchen,  3d 
ed.,  iii.,  253." — English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  L,  p.  201.  He 
regards  this  and  the  two  preceding  ballads,  "  diverse  as  they  may 
now  appear,  after  undergoing  successive  corruptions,"  as  "primarily 
of  the  same  type." — English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  L,  p.  19S. 

1  "  Oh,  where  have  you  been,  my  long-lost  love, 

This  long  seven  years  and  more  ?" 
"  Oh,  I'm  come  to  seek  my  former  vows, 
That  ye  granted  me  before." 

2  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue  of  your  former  vows, 

For  they  now  will  breed  sad  strife  ; 
Oh,  hold  your  tongue  of  your  former  vows, 
For  I  am  become  a  wife." 

3  He  tum'd  him  right  and  round  about, 

And  the  tear  blinded  his  e'e : 
•*  I  wou'd  ne'er  have  trodden  on  Irish  ground 
If  it  had  not  been  for  thee. 

4  "I  might  have  had  a  king's  daughter, 

Far,  far  beyond  the  sea; 
I  might  have  had  a  king's  daughter, 
Had  it  not  been  love  of  thee." 

5  "  If  ye  might  have  had  a  king's  daughter, 

Yersel'  ye  had  to  blame  ; 
Ye  might  have  taken  the  king's  daughter. 
For  ye  kenn'd  that  I  was  nane." 

6  "  Oh,  false  are  the  vows  of  womankind, 

But  fair  is  their  false  bodie  ; 
I  wou'd  ne'er  have  trodden  on  Irish  ground 
Had  it  not  been  love  of  thee. 

7  "  For  you  I  scom'd  the  crown  of  gold, 

The  king's  daughter  also; 
And  I  am  come  for  you,  my  love, 
So  with  me  you  must  go. 


THE  DEMON  LOVER.  169 


8  "  You  must  forsake  your  dear  husband, 

And  your  young  son  also, 
With  me  to  sail  the  raging  seas, 
Where  the  stormy  winds  do  blow." 

9  "  Oh,  what  ha'e  you  to  keep  me  with, 

If  I  shou'd  with  you  go  ? 

If  I  forsake  my  dear  husband, 

And  my  young  son  also  ?  " 

10  "  See  ye  not  yon  seven  pretty  ships— 

The  eighth  brought  me  to  land— 
With  merchandise  and  mariners. 
And  wealth  in  every  hand  ? 

11  "  And  I  have  slippers  for  my  love's  feet, 

Cover'd  with  purest  gold. 
And  lined  with  velvet  soft  and  fine, 
To  keep  you  from  the  cold." 

12  She  turn'd  her  round  upon  the  shore, 

Her  love's  ships  to  behold ; 
The  sails  were  silk,  the  masts  and  yards 
Were  cover'd  o'er  with  gold. 

13  Then  she  has  gone  to  her  young  son, 

And  kiss'd  him  cheek  and  chin  ; 
Next  to  her  sleeping  husband  gone, 
And  done  the  same  to  him. 

14  She 's  drawn  the  slippers  on  her  feet. 

Were  cover'd  o'er  with  gold. 
Well-lined  within  with  velvet  fine, 
To  keep  her  frae  the  cold. 

15  She 's  set  her  foot  upon  the  ship; 

'Twas  rigg'd  Avith  silk  and  gold; 
But  no  mariners,  to  sail  the  ship, 
On  board  cou'd  she  behold. 

16  "Oh,  how  do  you  love  the  ship ? "  he  said; 

"Or  how  do  you  love  the  sea? 

And  how  do  you  love  the  mariners, 

That  wait  upon  thee  and  me  ?  " 

17  "Oh,  I  do  love  the  ship,"  she  said, 

"And  I  do  love  the  sea ; 
But  woe  be  to  the  mariners 
That  nowhere  I  can  see." 


170  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


18  They  had  not  sail'd  a  mile  away, 

Never  a  mile  but  one, 
When  she  began  to  weep  and  mourn, 
And  to  think  on  her  young  son. 

19  "Oh,  if  I  were  at  land  again. 

At  land  where  I  would  be. 
The  woman  ne'er  shou'd  bear  the  son 
Shou'd  gar  me  sail  the  sea." 

2C     "Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  sprightly  flower, 
Let  all  your  mourning  be; 
I'll  show  you  how  the  lUies  grow 
On  the  banks  of  Italy." 

21  They  had  not  sail'd  away,  away, 

It 's  miles  but  barely  two, 
Until  she  espy'd  his  cloven  foot, 
From  his  gay  robes  stickin'  thro'. 

22  "Oh,  that  gentle  Death  had  cut  my  breath 

Ere  I  saw  yester  morn ! 
I  had  been  buried  in  Scotish  ground, 
Where  I  was  bred  and  born." 

23  "Ye'se  ne'er  be  buried  in  Scotish  grdundj 

Nor  land  ye'se  nae  mair  see; 
I  brought  you  away  to  punish  you. 
For  breaking  your  vows  to  me. 

24  "  I  said  you  shou'd  see  the  lilies  grow 

On  the  banks  of  Italy; 
But  I'll  let  you  see  the  fishes  swim 
In  the  bottom  of  the  sea." 

25  She  had  not  sail'd  away,  away, 

It 's  leagues  but  barely  three, 
When  dismal  grew  his  countenance, 
And  raging  grew  the  sea. 

26  The  masts,  that  were  like  the  beaten  gold. 

Bent  not  on  the  heaving  seas; 
And  the  sails,  that  were  of  the  silk  so  fine, 
Fill'd  not  in  the  east  land  breeze. 

27  "Oh,  what  are  yon  pleasant  hills,"  she  said, 

"That  the  sun  shines  sweetly  on ?  " 
"  Oh,  yon  are  the  hills  of  heav'n,"  he  said, 
"  Where  you  will  never  win." 


SIR  ROLAND.  171 


28  "Oh,  what  grim  mountain  is  yon,"  she  said, 

"All  so  dreary  with  frost  and  snow?" 
"Oh,  yon  is  the  mountain  of  hell,"  he  cried, 
"  Where  you  and  I  will  go ! " 

29  And  aye  when  she  turn'd  her  round  about, 

Aye  taller  he  seemed  to  be; 
Until  that  the  tops  of  that  gallant  ship 
Nae  taller  were  than  he. 

30  The  clouds  grew  dark,  and  the  wind  grew  loud, 

And  the  levin  filled  her  e'e; 
And  waesome  wail'd  the  snow-white  sprites 
Upon  the  raging  sea. 

31  He  struck  the  tap-mast  with  his  hand, 

The  fore-mast  with  his  knee; 
And  he  brake  that  gallant  ship  in  twain, 
And  sank  her  in  the  sea. 


SIR  ROLAND. 


From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  124. 

Mr.  Motherwell  states: — "This  fragment,  we  believe,  has  never 
before  been  printed.  It  was  communicated  to  us  by  an  iugenious 
friend,  who  remembered  having  heard  it  sung  in  his  youth.  A  good " 
many  verses  at  the  beginning,  some  about  the  middle,  and  one  or  two 
at  the  end,  seem  to  be  wanting.  More  sanguine  antiquaries  than  we 
are  might,  from  the  similarity  of  names,  imagine  they  had  in  this 
ballad  discovered  the  original  romance  whence  Shakesjieare  had  given 
this  line — 

'  Child  Kowland  to  the  dark  tower  came.' — King  Lear,  Act  IlL 

"The  story  is  of  a  very  gloomy  and  superstitious  texture.  A 
young  lady,  on  the  eve  of  her  marriage,  invited  her  lover  to  a 
banquet,  where  she  murders  him,  in  revenge  for  some  real  or  fancied 
neglect.  Alarmed  for  her  own  safety,  she  betakes  herself  to  flight,  and 
in1;he  course  of  her  journey  she  sees  a  stranger  knight  riding  slowly 
before  her,  whom  she  at  first  seeks  to  shun,  by  pursuing  an  opposite 
direction ;  but  on  finding  that  wheresoever  she  turned  he  still  appeared 
between  her  and  the  moonlight,  she  resolves  to  overtake  him.  This, 
however,  she  finds  in  vain,  till,  of  his  own  accord,  he  stays  for  her  at 
the  brink  of  a  broad  river.  They  agree  to  cross  it ;  and  when  in  mid 
stream  she  imj^lores  his  help  to  save  her  from  drowning,  to  her  horror 
she  finds  her  fellow-traveller  to  be  no  other  than  the  gaunt  apparition 
of  her  dead  lover." 

1     Sir  Roland  came  to  his  ain  love's  bow'r. 
And  he  tirl'd  at  the  pin; 
And  sae  ready  was  his  fair  fause  love 
To  rise  and  let  him  in. 


172  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND, 


"  Oh,  -welcome,  welcome,  Sir  Roland,"  she  says, 

"  Thrice  welcome  thou  art  to  me; 
For  this  night  ye  shall  feast  in  my  secret  bow'r, 
And  to-morrow  we'll  wedded  be." 

"  This  night  is  Hallow-e'en,"  he  said, 

"  And  to-morrow  is  Hallow-day; 

And  I  dream'd  a  drearie  dream  yestreen, 

That  has  made  my  heart  full  wae. 

"  I  dream'd  a  drearie  dream  yestreen, 

I  wish  it  may  come  to  gude; 
I  dream'd  that  ye  slew  my  best  grey-hound. 

And  gied  me  his  lapper'd  blude." 


6     "Unbuckle  your  belt,  Sir  Roland,"  she  said, 
"  And  set  you  safely  down." 
"  Oh,  your  chamber  is  very  dark,  fair  maid. 
And  the  night  is  wond'rous  lown." 

6     "  Yes,  dark,  dark  is  my  secret  bow'r, 
And  lown  the  midnight  may  be ; 
For  there  is  none  waking  in  all  this  tower. 
But  thou,  my  true  love,  and  rne." 

****** 

7  She  mounted  on  her  true  love's  steed, 

By  the  ae  light  of  the  moon; 
She  whipp'd  him  on,  she  spurr'd  him  on, 
And  roundly  rade  frae  the  toun. 

8  She  hadna  ridden  a  mile  of  gate, 

It 's  never  a  mile  but  ane. 
When  she  was  aware  of  a  tall  young  man 
Riding  slowly  o'er  the  plain, 

9  She  turn'd  her  to  the  right  about. 

Then  to  the  left  turn'd  she ; 
But  aye  between  her  and  the  wan  moonlight, 
That  tall  knight  did  she  see. 

10  And  he  was  riding  burd-alane. 

On  a  horse  as  black  as  jet; 
But  though  she  follow'd  him  fast  and  fell, 
Nae  nearer  cou'd  she  get. 

11  "  Oh,  stop!  oh,  stop!  young  man,"  she  said, 

"  For  I  in  dule  am  dight; 
Oh,  stop!  and  win  a  fair  lady's  luve. 
If  ye  be  a  leal  true  knight." 


SIR  ROLAND.  173 


12  But  nothing  did  the  tall  knight  say, 

And  nothing  did  he  blin'; 

Still  slowly  rade  he  on  before, 

And  fast  she  rade  behin'. 

13  She  whipp'd  hgr  steed,  she  spurr'd  her  steed, 

Till  his  breast  was  all  in  foam; 
But  nearer  unto  that  tall  young  knight 
The  ladye  cou'd  not  come. 

14  "  Oh,  if  ye  be  a  gay  young  knight, 

As  well  I  trow  you  be. 
Pull  tight  your  bridle-reins,  and  stay 
Till  1  come  up  to  thee." 

15  But  nothing  did  that  tall  knight  say, 

And  no  whit  did  he  blin', 
Until  he  reach'd  a  broad  river's  side^ 
And  there  he  drew  his  rein. 

16  "  Oh,  is  this  water  deep?  "  she  said, 

"  As  it  is  wond'rous  dun; 
Or  is  it  sic  as  a  saikless  maid 

And  a  leal  true  knight  may  swim?** 

17  "The  water  it  is  deep,"  he  said^ 

"  As  it  is  wond'rous  dun; 
But  it  is  sic  as  a  saikless  maid 

And  a  leal  true  knight  may  swim." 

18  The  knight  spurr'd  on  his  tall  black  steed, 

The  lady  spurr'd  on  her  brown ; 
And  fast  they  rade  into  the  flood, 
And  fast  they  baith  swam  down. 

19  "  The  watef  -^veets  my  feeti**  she  said, 

"  The  water  weets  my  knee; 
Hold  up  my  bridle  reins,  Sir  Knighty 
For  the  sake  of  Our  Ladye." 

20  "  If  I  wou'd  help  you  now,"  he  said, 

"  It  were  a  deadly  sin ; 
For  I've  sworn  ne'er  to  trust  a  fair  May's  word, 
Till  the  water  weets  her  chin." 

21  "  Oh,  the  water  weets  my  waist,"  she  said, 

"  Sae  does  it  weet  my  skin; 
And  my  aching  heart  rins  round  about, — 
The  burn  makes  sic  a  din. 


174  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


22  "  The  water  is  waxing  deeper  still, 

Sae  does  it  wax  mair  wide; 
And  aye  the  farther  that  we  ride  on, 
Farther  off  is  the  other  side. 

23  "  Oh,  help  me  now,  thou  fause,  fause  knight! 

Have  pity  on  my  youth; 
For  now  the  water  jaws  o'er  my  heid, 
And  it  gurgles  in  my  mouth." 

24  The  knight  turn'd  slowly  round  about, 

All  in  the  middle  stream; 
Then  he  stretch'd  out  his  head  to  that  ladye, 
And  loudly  she  did  scream ! 

25  "Oh,  this  is  Hallow-morn,"  he  said^ 

"  And  it  is  your  bridal  day ; 
But  sad  would  be  that  gay  wedding, 
Were  bridegroom  and  bride  away. 

26  "  But  ride  on,  ride  on,  proud  Margaret, 

Till  the  water  comes  o'er  your  bree ; 
For  the  bride  maun  ride  deep  and  deeper  yet, 
Wha  rides  this  foord  with  me ! 

27  "  Turn  round,  turn  round,  proud  Margaret, 

Turn  round,  and  look  on  me ! 
Thou  hast  kill'd  a  true  knight  under  trust. 
And  his  ghost  now  links  with  thee." 


WILLIE'S  FATAL  VISIT. 

The  following  ballad  forms  the  concluding  portion  of  one  under  the 
above  title,  given  by  Mr.  Buchau  in  his  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  259. 

The  prior  portion  is  simply  a  different  and  very  inferior  version  of 
a  well-known  and  highly  popular  ballad  published  by  Herd,  under 
the  title  of  "  The  Gray  Cock,"  and  beginning — 

"  Oh,  saw  ye  my  father,  or  saw  ye  my  mother. 
Or  saw  ye  my  true  love  John." 

The  connection  between  the  portions  probably  resulted  from  the  con- 
fused remembrance  and  accidental  combination  of  some  reciter. 

1    As  Willie  gaed  o'er  yon  high,  high  hill, 
And  down  yon  dowie  den. 
Oh,  there  he  saw  a  grievous  ghost, 
Wou'd  fear  ten  thousand  men. 


THE  knight's  ghost.  175 


2  As  he  gaed  in  by  Mary  kirk, 

And  in  by  Mary  stile, 
Wan  and  weary  was  the  ghost 
On  him  did  grimly  smile. 

3  "  Oft  ha'e  ye  travell'd  this  road,  Willie, 

Oft  ha'e  ye  travell'd  in  sin; 
Nor  thought  what  wou'd  come  of  your  puir  soul, 
When  your  sinfu'  life  was  dune. 

4  "  Oft  ha'e  ye  travell'd  this  road,  Willie, 

Your  bonnie  new  love  to  see; 
Oft  ha'e  ye  travell'd  this  road,  Willie, 
Nor  thought  of  puir  wrang'd  me. 

5  "  Oft  ha'e  ye  travell'd  this  road,  Willie, 

Your  bonnie  new  love  to  see ; 
,    But  ye'll  never  travel  this  road  agairi, 
For  this  night  avenged  I'll  be." 

6  Then  she  has  ta'en  her  perjured  love,i 

And  rave  him  gair  by  gair ; 
And  on  ilka  side  of  Mary's  stile. 
Of  him  she  hung  a  share. 

7  His  father  and  mother  baith  made  moan, 

His  new  love  meikle  mair; 
j^is  father  and  mother  baith  made  moan,^ 
His  new  love  rave  her  haifi 


THE  KNIGHT'S  GHOST. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  227.  He  remarka 
that  "this  ghost  was  a  generous  and  liberal  one  in  many  respects."—' 
Note,  p.  314. 

1  "  There  is  a  fashion  in  this  land. 

And  even  come  to  this  countrie, 
That  every  lady  shou'd  meet  her  lord, 
When  he  is  newly  come  frae  sea. 

2  "  Some  with  hawks  and  some  with  hounds, 

Or  other  seemly  thing  to  see; 
But  I  will  gae  to  meet  my  lord, 

And  set  his  young  son  on  his  knee.'* 

3  She  's  ta'en  her  young  son  in  her  arms, 

And  nimbly  walk'd  by  yon  sea-strand; 
And  there  she  spied  her  husband's  ship, 
As  it  came  sailing  to  the  land. 


176  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

4     "  Where  ha'e  ye  put  my  ain  gude  lord? 

Oh,  whereabout  may  my  gude  lord  be?" 
,  "  If  ye  be  wanting  your  ain  gude  lord, 

A  sight  of  him  ye'll  never  see." 

6     "Was  he  burnt,  or  was  he  slain? 

Or  was  he  drown'd  in  the  deep  sea? 
Or  what 's  become  of  my  ain  gude  lord, 
That  he  comes  not  to  meet  with  me  ?  " 

6  "  Oh,  your  guid  lord  he  wasna  burnt, 

Nor  was  he  drown'd  in  the  deep  sea; 
But  he  was  slain  in  Dunfermline, — 
A  fatal  day  to  you  and  me." 

7  "  Come  in,  come  in,  my  merry  young  men, 

Come  in  and  drink  the  wine  with  me; 
And  all  the  better  ye  shall  fare, 
For  this  gude  news  ye  tell  to  me." 

8  She  brought  them  down  to  a  low  cellar, 

She  brought  them  fifty  steps  and  three; 
She  birl'd  them  with  the  beer  and  wine. 
Till  they  were  as  drunk  as  drunk  cou'd  be. 

9  Then  she  has  lock'd  her  cellar  door, 

At  the  head  of  the  fifty  steps  and  three, — 
"  Lye  there  with  my  sad  malison. 

For  this  bad  news  ye've  tauld  to  me." 

10  She 's  ta'en  the  keys  into  her  hand. 

And  thi'ew  them  deep,  deep  in  the  sea, — 
"  Lye  there  with  my  sad  malison. 
Till  my  gude  lord  return  to  me." 

11  Then  she  sat  down  in  her  ain  room. 

And  sorrow  lull'd  her  fast  asleep ; 

When  up  it  starts  her  ain  gude  lord. 

As  she  sat  there  in  slumber  deep, 

12  "  Take  here  the  keys,  Janet,"  he  says, 

"  That  ye  threw  deep,  deep  in  the  sea, 

And  gae  relieve  my  merry  young  men, — 

They're  nane  to  blame  for  death  of  me. 

13  "  They  shot  the  bolt,  and  drew  the  stroke, 

And  in  red  blude  waded  to  the  knee ; 

Nae  sailors  mair  for  their  lord  cou'd  do. 

Nor  my  young  men  they  did  for  me." 


PROUD   LADY  MARGARET  AND  THE   COURTEOUS  KNIGHT.       177 


14  "  I  ha'e  a  question  at  you  to  ask, 

Before  that  ye  depart  frae  me; 
Tell  me  how  lang  I  ha'e  to  live, 

And  the  kind  of  death  I  ha'e  to  dee." 

15  "  I  ha'e  nae  mair  of  God's  ain  power 

Than  He  has  granted  unto  me ; 

But  come  to  heaven  when  ye  will, 

There  porter  to  you  I  will  be. 

16  "  But  ye'U  be  wed  to  a  finer  knight 

Than  ever  was  in  my  degree ; 
Unto  him  ye'll  ha'e  children  nine, 
And  six  of  them  will  be  ladies  free. 

17  "  The  other  three  will  be  bold  young  men, 

To  fight  for  king  and  for  countrie : 
The  ane  a  duke,  the  second  a  knight, 
The  third  a  laird  of  lands  sae  free." 


PROUD  LADY  MAEGARET  AND  TflE  COURTEOUS 
KNIGHT. 

"Proud  Lady  Margaret"  is  the,  title  of  a  ballad  "communicated 
to"  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "by  Mr.  Hamilton,  musicseller,  Edinburgh, 
with  whose  mother  it  had  been  a  favourite.  Two  verses  and  one  line 
were  wantiug,  which  are  here  supplied  from  a  different  ballad, 
having  a  plot  somewhat  similar.  These  verses  are  the  sixth  and 
ninth"  of  the  version  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  32,  and 
correspond  to  the  last  four  lines  respectively  of  stanzas  14  and  17, 
as  here  printed. 

"The  Courteous  Knight"  is  the  title  of  "a  ballad  similar  in 
incident,"  but  more  complete  "in  narrative,"  printed  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  pp.  91-97. 

Another  version,  under  the  title  of  "The  Bonny  Hind  Squire,"  is 
given  in  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of  Aiicienl  Ballads,  p.  42.  The 
present  is  collated  from  the  two  first-named  versions. 

1  'TwAS  on  a  night,  an  evening  bright, 

When  the  dew  began  to  fall, 
Lady  Margaret  was  walking  up  and  down, 
Looking  o'er  her  castle  wall. 

2  She  looked  east,  and  she  looked  west, 

To  see  what  she  could  spy. 
When  a  gallant  knight  came  in  her  sight, 
And  to  the  gate  drew  nigh. 


178  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


3  "  God  make  you  safe  and  free,  fair  maid, 

God  make  you  safe  and  free!  " 
"  Oh,  sae  fall  you,  ye  courteous  knight, 
What  are  your  wills  with  me?  " 

4  "  My  wills  with  you  are  not  small,  lady, 

My  wills  with  you  nae  small. 
And  since  there  's  nane  your  bow'r  within, 
Ye'se  ha'e  my  secrets  all. 

6     "For  here  am  I,  a  courtier, 
A  courtier  come  to  thee! 
And  if  ye  winna  grant  your  love, 
All  for  your  sake  I'll  dee." 

6  "  If  that  ye  dee  for  me,  Sir  Knight, 

Few  for  you  will  make  meen, 
For  mony  gude  lord's  done  the  same, 
Their  graves  are  growing  green." 

7  "  Oh,  winna  ye  pity  me,  fair  maid? 

Oh,  winna  ye  pity  me  ? 
Oh,  winna  ye  pity  a  courteous  knight. 
Whose  love  is  laid  on  thee  ?  " 

8  "  You  seem  to  be  no  gentleman, 

You  wear  your  boots  so  wide; 

But  you  seem  some  cunning  hunter. 

You  wear  your  horn  so  syde."* 

9i     "I  am  no  cunning  hunter,"  he  said, 
"  Nor  ne'er  intend  to  be; 
But  I  am  come  to  this  castle 
To  seek  the  love  of  thee," 

10  "  Ye  say  ye  are  a  courteous  knight, 

But  I  think  ye  are  nane ; 
Ye  seem  to  be  some  false  young  man, 
Sae  I  pray  ye  begane." 

11  "  Indeed,  I  am  a  courteous  knight, 

And  of  great  pedigree ; 
Nae  knight  did  mair  for  a  lady  bright 
Than  I  will  do  for  thee. 

12  "  Oh,  I'll  put  smiths  in  your  smithy, 

To  shoe  for  you  a  steed ; 
And  I'll  put  tailors  in  your  bow'r, 
To  make  for  you  a  weed. 

*  "  Syde:  "  long  or  low. 


PROUD   LADY  MAEGARET  AND  THE   COURTEOUS  KNIGHT.       179 


13  "  I  will  put  cooks  in  your  kitchen, 

And  butlers  in  your  ha' ; 
And  on  the  tap  of  your  father's  castle, 
I'll  big  gude  corn  and  saw." 

14  "If  ye  be  a-courteous  knight, 

As  I  trust  not  ye  be, 
Ye'U  answer  me  the  three  questions 

That  I  will  ask  at  thee ; 
And  but  ye  read  them  right,"  she  said, 

"  Gae  stretch  ye  out  and  dee. 

15  "  What  is  the  flower,  the  fairest  flower, 

That  grows  in  mire  or  dale? 
Likewise,  which  is  the  sweetest  bird 

Sings  next  the  nightingale? 
Or  what 's  the  finest  thing,"  she  says, 

"  That  king  or  que^n  pan  wale?" 

16  "  The  primrose  is  the  fairest  flower 

That  grows  in  mujr  or  dale  ; 
The  mavis  is  the  sweetest  bird 

Next  to  the  xiightingale ; 
And  yellow  gowd  is  the  finest  thing 

That  king  or  queen  can  wale." 

17  "  Ye  may  be  my  match,  kind  sir, 

Your  answers  they  are  sound ; 
But  what 's  the  little  coin,"  she  said, 

"  Wou'd  buy  my  castle  bound  ? 
And  what 's  the  little  boat,"  she  said, 

"  Can  sail  the  world  all  round  ?  " 

18  "  Oh  hey,  how  many  small  pennies 

Make  thrice  three  thousand  poimd  ? 
Or  hey,  how  many  small  fishes 
Swim  all  the  salt  sea  round?  " 

19  "  I  think  ye  are  my  match,"  she  said, 

"  My  match  and  something  mair; 
You  are  the  first  e'er  got  the  grant 
Of  love  frae  my  father's  heir. 

20  "  My  father  was  lord  of  nine  castles. 

My  mother  lady  of  three ; 
My  father  was  lord  of  nine  castles. 

And  there 's  nane  to  heir  but  me, 
Unless  it  be  Willie,  my  ae  brother, 

But  he  'a  far  beyond  the  sea." 


180  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


21  "  Your  father  was  lord  of  nine  castles, 

Your  mother  lady  of  three; 
And  I  am  Willie,  your  ae  brother, 

Was  far  beyond  the  sea : 
I  come  to  humble  your  haughty  heart. 

Has  gar'd  sae  mony  dee." 

22  "  If  ye  be  my  brother  Willie,"  she  said, 

"  As  I  trow  well  ye  be, 
This  night  I'll  neither  eat  nor  drink. 
But  gae  alang  with  thee." 

23  "  Ye've  ower  ill-washen  feet,  Marg'ret, 

And  ower  ill-washen  nands, 
And  ower  coarse  robes  on  your  body, 
Alang  with  me  to  gang.  * 

24  "  The  worms  they  are  my  bedfellows. 

And  the  cauld  clay  my  sheet; 
And  the  higher  that  the  wind  does  blaw. 
The  sounder  I  do  sleep. 

25  "  My  body  's  buried  in  Dumfermline, 

And  far  beyond  the  sea. 
But  day  nor  night  nae  rest  could  get, 
All  for  the  pride  of  thee. 

26  "  Leave  aff  your  pride,  Marg'ret,"  he  says, 

"  Use  it  not  ony  mair; 
Or  when  ye  come  where  I  ha'e  been, 
You  will  repent  it  sair; 

27  "  Cast  aff,  cast  aff,  sister,"  he  says, 

"  The  gowd  lace  frae  your  crown; 
For  if  ye  gang  where  I  ha'e  beeuj 
Ye'U  wear  it  laigher  down. 

28  "  When  ye  are  in  the  gude  church  set. 

The  gowd  pins  in  your  hair. 
Ye  take  mair  delight  in  your  feckless  dress, 
Than  ye  do  in  your  morning  prayer. 

29  "  And  when  ye  walk  in  the  churchyard, 

And  in  your  dress  are  seen. 
There  is  nae  lady  that  sees  your  face. 
But  wishes  your  grave  were  green. 

•  "  Oh,  no !  oh,  no !  Margaret,"  he  said, 
"Oh,  no!  that  canna  be; 
You've  ower  ill-washen  feet  and  hands, 
To  gang  alang  with  me." 

—Slightly  altered  from  Scottish  Traditional  VersioTu  of  Ancient  Ballait. 


THE  ELFIN  KNIGHT.  181 


30  "  You're  straight  and  tall,  handsome  withal, 

But  your  pride  o'ergrows  your  wit; 
And  if  ye  do  not  your  ways  refrain, 
In  peerie  *  chair  ye'll  sit, 

31  "In  peerie  chair  you'll  sit,  I  say, 

The  lowest  seat  of  hell ; 
If  ye  do  not  amend  your  ways, 
It 's  there  that  ye  must  dwell." 

32  With  that  he  Yanish'd  frae  hgr  sight, 

With  the  twinkling  of  an  eye; 
And  naething  mair  the  lady  saw, 
But  the  gloomy  clouds  aad  sky. 


THE  ELFIN  KNIGHT. 

This  ballad  may  be  found  as  under:— 

L  "In  a  volume  in  the  Pepysian  Library,  bound  up  with  Blind 
Harry's  Wallace,  Edin.,  1673,  12mo;  'The  Battle  of 
Glenlivet,'  a  Scotish  tra^c  ballad,  printed  1681,  12mo. 
In  the  same  volume  is  the  challenge  of  Robert  III.  of 
Scotland,  to  Henry  IV.  of  England,  beginning,  '  During 
the  reign  of  the  Roy  Robert,  't  Here  is  also  '  The  Hunting 
of  Che\'y  Chace,'  in  black-letter,  in  the  Scotish  way  of 
reading  the  altered  stanzas.  It  is  to  the  tune  of  '  The  Yle 
of  Kyle.'" — Pinkerton's  Ancient  Scotish  Poems  from  the 
Maitland  MSS.,  Appendix,  vol.  ii,  p.  496. 

The  title  of  the  present  ballad,  as  there  given,  is,  "  '  The 
Wind  hath  Blawn  my  Plaid  awa :  or,  a  Discourse  betwixt 
a  Young  Maid  and  the  Elphin  Knight,'  black-letter, 
printed,"  says  Pinkerton,  "  1  suppose,  about  1670." 

"A  literal  copy  from  the  original  in  the  Pepysian 
Library,  Cambridge,"  appears  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy, 
Appendix  i,  p.  1. 
II.  A  second  version  is  given  in  y^e  Commonplace  Book  of 
Ancient  and  Modem  Ballads,  and  Metrical  Leqendary 
Tales,  &c.  —  "a  projected  work  (edited  by  David  Webster, 
Edinburgh)   which  reached  no    farther  than    the    first 

•  "Peerie."  The  original  reada  "  Pine's,"  a  word  which  has  completely  nonplussed 
Scotish  ballad  editors  subsequent  to  Mr.  Buchan,  in  whose  version  it  appears.  It 
should  be  spelled  as  above,  and  means  "fearful;"  old  French,  peureux,  "fearful." 
The  word  may  also  have  some  connection  with  "peary,"  inquisitive,  disposed  to 
txamine  narrowly;  English,  to  peer.  As  the  word  "pirrie"  means  trim,  nice  in  dress, 
or pernickitie,  the  ghost  may  have  meant,  by  a  play  upon  words,  to  warn  "Proud 
Margaret"  that  her  being  so  "pirrie"  would  end  in  a  fate  "peerie  " — or  fearfuL 

i  This  poeTaisTxientionedin  The  Complaynt  of  Scotland,  \5i9;  occurs  in  the  Mait- 
land MS.,  1555-86;  included  by  Watson  in  his  Collection  of  .Scots  Poems,  part  ii.,  p.  iiL; 
and  somewhat  dubiously  referred  to  and  numbered  by  Mr.  Motherwell  as  a  t^llad 
in  his  MintlreLsy,  Introduction,  p.  IxL 


182  BALLAD  inNSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


number.  The  only  thing  remarkable  in  which  is," 
says  Motherwell,  "  that  the  editor  states  he  gives  it  from 
the  recitation  of  two  ladies,  one  of  whom  is  his  own 
mother,  and  the  other  an  honest  fishwife  of  Musselburgh." 
— Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xcix.,  note  148. 

III.  A  third  version  appears  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish 
Ballads,  p.  145,  under  the  title  of  "The  Elfin  Knicht," 
as  "given  from  the  recitation  of  a  native  of  Mearnshire." 

rV.  A  fourth  version  is  furnished  by  Mr.  Buchan,  in  Ancient 
Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  296,  under  the  title  of 
"The  Fairy  Knight."  Mr.  Buchan  states  that  he  had 
"seen  more  than  one  (copy)  in  MS.,"  note,  p.  346. 

The  ballad,  as  here  given,  is  collated  from  the  four  versions  named 
above.  The  diiferent  refrains  are  also  here  represented, — viz.,  that 
of  versions  I.  arid  II.  in  stanza  1,  Kinloch's  in  stanza  2,  and  Buchan's 
in  stanza  3. 

"Similar  collections  of  impossibilities"  occur  in  other  Scotish, 
English,  and  German  ballads. — See  Professor  Child's  English  and 
Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  128. 

1  The  elfin  knight  stands  on  yon  hill — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba ; 
He  blaws  his  horn  baith  loud  and  shrill — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

2  He  blaws  it  east,  he  blaws  it  west — 

O'er  the  hills  and  far  awa  ; 
He  blaws  it  where  he  liketh  best — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

S     Fair  Is'bel  sits  in  her  bow'r  sewing — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw, 
And  hears  the  elf  knight  his  horn  blowing — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

4  "  If  I  had  the  horn  that  I  hear  blaw — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba, 
And  had  the  knight  here,  in  my  arms  twa — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

5  "I  wou'd  lock  the  horn  up  in  my  chest — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw, 
And  the  knight  wou'd  lock  me  to  his  breast — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa." 

6  She  had  no  sooner  these  words  said — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba. 
Than  the  elfin  knight  stood  by  her  side — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 


THE  ELFIN  KNIGHT.  183 


7  "  You  are  too  young  a  May,"  quoth  he — 

"Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw; 
Married  with  me,  you  ill  wou'd  be — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa." 

8  "I  have  a  sister,  a  younger  May — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba, 
And  she  was  married  yesterday^- 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa." 

9  "  Married  with  me,  if  you  wou'd  be — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blawj 
A  courtesy  you  must  do  me — 

The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

10  "  You  must  make  me  a  Holland  sark— 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba. 
Without  any  cutting  or  needle  wark — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

11  "  And  you  must  wash  it  in  yonder  well — 

O'er  the  hills  and  far  awa, 
Where  dew  never  wet,  nor  rain  ever  fell— ^ 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

12  "  And  ybu  must  dry  it  on  yon  hawthorn— 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw, 
That  never  budded  since  man  was  born — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa." 

13  "  If  that  courtesie  t  do  to  thee — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba. 
Another  you  must  do  to  me — 

The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

14  "  I  have  an  acre  of  good  lea  land — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw, 
Which  lyeth  low  by  yon  sea  strand — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

15  "  And  you  must  till  it  with  your  horn — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba; 
And  you  must  sow  it  with  pepper  corn — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

16  "  And  you  must  harrow  it  with  a  thorn — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw. 
And  ha'e  your  wark  done  ere  the  morn — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 


184  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

17  "  And  you  must  shear  it  with  your  knife — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba; 
Nor  tyne  a  grain  o't  for  your  life — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

18  "  You  must  bigg  a  cart  of  stone  and  lime — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw, 
And  make  Robin  Redbreast  trail  it  betime — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

19  "  And  you  must  bring  it  frae  the  sea — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba, 
Fair,  and  clean,  and  dry,  to  me — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

20  "  And  you  must  barn  it  in  yon  mouse-hole — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw ; 
And  you  must  thrash  it  in  your  shoe  sole — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

21  "  And  you  must  winnow  it  in  your  looves — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba ; 
And  you  must  sack  it  in  your  gloves — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

22  "  And  you  must  dry  it  without  a  fire  on — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw; 
And  grind  it  without  a  mill  or  a  quern — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa. 

23  "  And  when  you  have  well  done  your  work — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba. 
Come  back  to  me  and  get  your  sark — 
The  wind  hath  blawn  my  plaid  awa." 

24  "  I  wou'd  not  tyne  my  plaid  for  my  life — 

Blaw,  blaw,  blaw,  ye  cauld  winds,  blaw ; 
It  haps  my  seven  bairns  and  my  wife — 
The  wind  shall  not  blaw  my  plaid  awa." 

25  "  Then  a  maiden  I  will  keep  me  still — 

Ba,  ba,  ba,  lillie  ba,  ba ; 
Let  the  elfin  knight  do  what  he  will — 
The  wind  shall  not  blaw  my  plaid  awa. 

26  "  My  plaid  awa,  my  plaid  awa, 

O'er  the  hills  and  far  awa, 
And  far  awa,  to  Norrowa', 
My  plaid  shall  not  be  blawn  awa." 


THE  MAID  AKD  FAIBT.  185 


THE  MAID  AND  FAIRY. 

From  'Bucha.n^ a  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  117;  and  note, 
p.  301.  Leyden,  in  his  "Preliminary  Dissertation"  to  The  Com- 
playnt  of  Scotland,  p.  234,  referring  to  "  The  Tale  of  the  "Wolf  of 
the  Warldis  End,"  remarks : — "  I  have  heard  fragments  of  songs 
repeated,  in  which  the  '  well  of  the  warldis  end  '  is  mentioned,  and 
denominated  'the  well  Absalom,'  and  'the  cold  well  sae  weary.' 
According  to  the  popular  tale,  a  lady  is  sent  by  her  stepmother  to 
draw  water  from  the  well  of  the  world's  end.  She  arrives  at  the 
well  after  encountering  many  dangers,  but  soon  perceives  that  her 
adventures  have  not  reached  a  conclusion.  A  frog  emerges  from 
the  well,  and  before  it  suffers  her  to  draw  water,  obliges  her  to 
betroth  herself  to  the  monster,  under  penalty  of  being  torn  to 
pieces.  The  lady  returns  safe;  but  at  midnight  the  frog-lover 
appears  at  the  door  and  demands  entrance,  according  to  promise, 
to  the  great  consternation  of  the.  lady  and  her  nurse  :— r 

"  '  Open  the  door,  my  hinny,  my  hart, 
Open  the  dpor,  mine  ain  wee  thing. 
And  mind  the  words  that  you  and  I  spak 
Down  in  the  meadow,  at  the  well-spring.' 

"  The  frog  is  admitted,  and  addresses  her — 

"  '  Take  me  up  on  your  knee,  my  dearie, 
Take  me  up  on  your  knee,  my  dearie. 
And  mind  the  words  that  you  and  I  spak 
At  the  cauld  well  sae  wearie.' 

"The  frog  is  finally  disenchanted,  and  appears  as  a  prince  in  his 
original  form." 

The  story  of  "The  Paddo,"  in  Dr.  Kobert  Chambers's  Popular 
Rhymes  of  Scotland,  p.  87,  last  edition,  is  almost  identical ;  and  Mr. 
Buchan's  story  ig  also  essentially  the  same,  bi^t  terminates  differently. 
His  prose  explanation  is  to  the  following  effect: — Shortly  after 
the  maid's  return,  the  genius  appeared  "at  the  door,  singing  the 
first  four  lines  of  the  song,  and  was  admitted.  In  the  second  four 
lines  he  craves,  as  his  due,  the  castock  or  stem, — haying  had  coleworts 
for  their  supper,  a  dish  common  to  the  peasantry  of  Scotland.  In 
the  third  four  lines,  he  asks  his  brose  (oatmeal,  and  the  decoction  of 
the  coleworts  stirred  together).  In  the  fourth  four  lines,  he  requests 
the  kail ;  and  in  the  fifth  four  lines,  he  petitions  the  inaid  to  lay  him 
down  in  a  bed,  putting  her  in  mind  at  the  same  time  of  the  favour  he 
had  done  her  at  the  'well  sae  wearie.'  The  old  woman,  who  ere 
now  had  been  a  silent  spectator  to  all  that  was  passing,  got  enraged, 
and  commanded  her  daughter  to  throw  him  out  of  the  house — which 
was  instantly  done.  The  sixth  and  last  four  lines  conclude  the  piece 
with  his  prayers  or  malison  for  her  woe,  and  an  opportunity  of  having 
her  again  in  his  power  at  the  'well  sae  weary.'  " 


I 


1     Oh,  open  the  door,  my  honey,  my  heart, 
Oh,  open  the  door,  my  ain  kind  dearie ; 
For  dinna  ye  mind  upon  the  time 

We  met  in  the  wood  at  the  well  sae  wearie? 


186  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAITO. 


Oh,  gi'e  me  my  castock,  my  dow,  my  dow, 
Oh,  gi'e  me  my  castock,  my  ain  kind  dearie; 

For  dinna  ye  mind  upon  the  time 

We  met  in  the  wood  at  the  well  sae  wearie? 

Oh,  gi'e  me  my  brose,  my  dow,  my  dow, 
Oh,  gi'e  me  my  brose,  my  ain  kind  dearie; 

For  dinna  ye  mind  upon  the  time 
We  met  in  the  wood  at  the  well  sae  wearie? 

Oh,  gi'e  me  my  kail,  my  dow,  my  dow. 
Oh,  gi'e  me  my  kail,  my  ain  kind  dearie ; 

For  dinna  ye  mind  upon  the  time 

We  met  in  the  wood  at  the  well  sae  wearie? 

Oh,  lay  me  down,  my  dow,  my  dow, 
Oh,  lay  me  down,  my  ain  kind  dearie; 

For  dinna  ye  mind  upon  the  time 
We  met  in  the  wood  at  the  well  sae  wearie? 

Oh,  woe  to  you  now,  my  dow,  niy  dow. 

Oh,  woe  to  you  now,  my  fause,  fause  dearie; 

And  oh  for  the  time  I  had  you  again, 
Plunging  the  dubs  at  the  well  sae  wearie. 


TAMLANE. 

"  The  following  ballad,  still  popular  in  Ettrick  Forest,  where  the 
scene  is  laid,  is  certainly  of  much  greater  antiquity  than  its  phrase- 
ology, gradually  modernized  as  transmitted  by  tradition,  would  seem 
to  denote.  The  '  Tayl  of  the  Young  Tamlene '  is  mentioned  in  the 
Complaynt  of  Scotland  [1548],  and  the  air,  to  which  it  was  chaunted, 
seems  to  have  been  accommodated  to  a  particular  dance, — for  the 
dance  of  'Thorn  of  Lynn,'  another  variation  of  '  Thomalin,'  likewise 
occurs  in  the  same  performance.  Like  every  popular  subject,  it 
seems  to  have  been  frequently  parodied;  and  a  burlesque  ballad, 
beginning, 

'Tom  o'  the  Linn  was  a  Scotsman  bom,' 

is  stiU  well  known. 

"In  a  medley,  contained  in  a  curious  and  ancient  MS.  cantus,  penes 
J.  G.  Dalyell,  Esq.,  there  is  an  allusion  to  our  ballad: — 

'Sing  young  Thomlin,  be  merry,  be  merry,  and  twice  so  merry.' 

"In  Herd's  Soottish  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  159,  a  part  of  the  original  tale 
was  pubhshed,  under  the  title  of  'Kerton  Ha',' — a  corruption  of 
Carterhaugh. 


TAMLANE.  187 


•'In  Johnston's  Musical  Museum,  vol.  v.,  p.  423,  a  more  complete 
copy  occurs,  under  the  title  of  'Tam  Linn,'  which,  with  some 
alterations,  was  reprinted  in  the  Tales  of  Wonder,  No.  58." — Scott's 
Minstrelsy,  voL  ii,  p.  331. 

Sir  Walter  Scott's  edition  was  "prepared  from  a  collation  of  the 
printed  copies  with  a  very  accurate  one  in  GlenriddeU's  MSS. ,  and 
with  several  recitals  from  tradition,"  but  contains  some  stanzas 
"supplied  by  some  ingenious  gentleman  residing  near  Langholm, 
[which]  are  clearly  suppositious,  and  ought  to  be  omitted." — Mother- 
■well's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixxii.,  note  3L 

Subsequent  to  the  publication  of  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  a  fragment,  under 
the  title  of  "Burd  Ellen  and  Young  Tamlane,"  appeared  in  Maid- 
ment's  North  Countrie  Garland,  p.  21,  as  "taken  down  from  the  recita- 
tion of  a  lady  who  had  heard  it  sung  in  childhood."  Complete  versions 
are  also  given  in  Maidment's  New  Booh  of  Old  Ballads,  p.  54,  as 
"  taken  down  from  the  recitation  of  an  old  woman  ; "  and  in  Scottish 
Traditional  Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  p.  11,  under  the  respective 
titles  of  "Tom  Linn,"  and  "Tam-a-Line,  the  Eltin  Knicht." 
Sir  Walter  Scott's  version  is  the  one  here  chiefly  followed ;  and  the 
stanzas  referred  to  by  Mr.  Motherwell  are  retained,  but  placed 
within  brackets.  Regarding  the  stanzas  in  question.  Sir  Walter  Scott 
states : — "The  editor  has  been  enabled  to  add  several  verses  of  beauty 
and  interest  to  this  edition  of  'Tamlane,'  in  consequence  of  a  copy, 
obtained  from  a  gentleman  residing  near  Langholm,  which  is  said  to 
be  very  ancient,  though  the  diction  is  somewhat  of  a  modern  cast. 
The  manners  of  the  fairies  are  detailed  at  considerable  length,  and  in 
poetry  of  no  common  merit." 

"Carterhaugh,"  continues  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "is  a  plain  at  the 
conflux  of  the  Ettrick  and  Yarrow,  in  Selkirkshire,  about  a 
mile  above  Selkirk,  and  two  miles  below  Newark  Castle,  a 
romantic  ruin,  which  overhangs  the  Yarrow,  and  which  is  said  to 
have  been  the  habitation  of  our  heroine's  father,  though  others 
place  his  residence  in  the  tower  of  Oakwood.  The  peasants 
point  out,  upon  the  ])lain,  those  electrical  rings  which  vulgar 
credulity  supposes  to  be  traces  of  the  fairy  revels.  Here,  they  say, 
were  placed  the  stands  of  milk  and  of  water  in  which  Tamlane  was 
dipped,  in  order  to  effect  the  disenchantment  [as  directed  in  stanza 
35];  and  upon  these  spot?,  according  to  their  mode  of  expressing  them- 
selves, the  grass  will  never  grow.  Miles  Cross  (perhaps  a  corruption 
of  Mary's  Cross),  where  fair  Janet  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  fairy 
train,  is  said  to  have  stood  near  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch's  seat  of 
Bow-hill,  about  half  a  mile  from  Carterhaugh.  In  no  part  of 
Scotland,  indeed,  has  the  belief  in  fairies  maintained  its  ground 
with  more  pertinacity  than  in  Selkirkshire.  The  most  sceptical 
among  the  lower  ranks  only  venture  to  assert  that  their  appearances 
and  mischievous  exploits  have  ceased,  or  at  least  become  irSrequent, 
since  the  light  of  the  gospel  was  diffused  in  its  purity. " 


1     "  Oh,  I  forbid  ye,  maidens  all, 
That  wear  gowd  on  your  hair, 
To  come  or  gae  by  Carterhaugl^^ 
For  young  Tamlane  is  tfcere." 


188  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  But  up  then  spake  her,  fair  Janet, 

The  fairest  of  her  kin : 
"  I'll  come  and  gang  to  Carterhaugh, 
And  ask  nae  leave  of  him." 

3  Then  she  has  kilted  her  green  kirtle  * 

A  little  abune  her  knee ; 
And  she  has  braided  her  yellow  hair 
A  little  ajbune  her  bree. 

4  And  to  the  wood  of  Carterhaugh 

She  hied  her  forth  alane, 
To  pull  the  roses  frae  the  tree, 
lu  spite  of  young  Tamlane. 

5  She  hadna  puU'd  a  red,  red  rose, 

A  rose  but  barely  three. 
When  up  and  starts  a  wee,  wee  ma^, 
At  Lady  Janet'g  knee ! 

6  Says — "  Why  pull  ye  the  rose,  Janet? 

What  gars  ye  break  the  tree? 
Or  why  come  ye  to  Carterhaugh 
Without  the  leave  of  me?" 

7  "Oh,  I  will  pull  the  flowers,"  she  said, 

*'  Or  I  will  break  the  tree. 
And  come  and  gang  to  Carterhaugh, 
Nor  ask  nae  leave  of  thee." 

8  He 's  ta'en  her  by  the  milk-white  handt 

Amang  the  leaves  sae  green ; 
And  meikle,  meikle  was  the  love 
That  fell  the  twa  between. 

9  He 's  ta'en  her  by  the  milk-white,  hand,^ 

Amang  the  roses  red; 
And  they  ha'e  vow'd  a  solemn  vow 
Ilk  ither  for  to  wed. 

10    "-  The  truth  ye'll  tell  to  me,  Tamlane, 
A  word  ye  maunna  lee ; 
If  e'er  ye  was  in  haly  kirk. 
Or  sained  f  in  Christentie?" 

•  "The  ladies  are  always  represented,  in  Dunbar's  poems,  with  green  mantles  and 
yellow  hair." — Pinkerton's  Ancient  Scolisfi  Poems  from  the  Maitland  MSS^  voL  i.,  p.  45. 

t  "Sained: "  blessed;  not  hallovKd,  or  made  holy,  as  oft«n  explained. 


TAMLANE.  18J) 


11  "  The  truth  I'll  tell  to  thee,  Janet, 

A  word  I  winna  lee ; 
I  was  ta'en  to  the  haly  kirk, 
And  sained  as  well  as  thee. 

12  "  Randolph,  Earl  Murray,  was  my  sire, 

Dunbar,  Earl  March,  is  thine; 
We  lov'd  when  we  were  children  small, 
Which  yet  you  well  may  min'. 

13  "  When  I  was  a  boy  just  turn'd  of  nine, 

My  uncle  sent  for  me. 
To  hunt,  and  hawk,  and  ride  with  him, 
And  keep  him  companie. 

14  "  There  came  a  wind  out  of  the  norths 

A  sharp  \(rind  and  a  sntell; 
A  dead  sleep  then  came  over  me. 
And  frde  my  horse  I  fell. 

15  "  The  fairy  queen  she  keppit  *  me^ 

And  took  me  td  hersel'. 
And  ever  since,  in  yon  green  hillj 
With  her  I'm  bound  to  dwell, 

16  ["  And  we  that  live  in  fairyland, 

Nae  sickness  know  nor  pain; 
I  quit  my  body  when  I  will^ 
And  take  to  it  again. 

17  "  I  quit  my  body  when  I  please, 

Or  unto  it  repair ; 
We  can  inhabit  at  our  ease 
In  either  earth  or  air. 

18  "  Our  shapes  and  size  we  can  convert 

To  either  large  or  small ; 
An  old  nut-shell 's  the  samd  to  us 
As  is  the  lofty  hall. 

19  "  We  sleep  in  rosebuds  soft  and  Sweety 

We  revel  in  the  stream, 
We  wanton  lightly  on  the  wind, 
Or  glide  on  a  sunbeam. 

20  "  And  all  our  wants  are  well  supplied 

From  every  rich  man's  store, 
Who  thankless  sins  the  gifts  he  gets,'!' 
And  vainly  grasps  for  more.] 
♦"Keppit:"  caught 
t  To  "  sin  "  our  gifts  and  merdes,  means,  ungratefully  to  bold  tbem  in  light  esteem. 


190  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


21  "  And  it  is  sic  a  bonnie  place, 

And  I  like  it  sae  well, 
That  I  wou'd  never  tire,  Janet, 
In  fairyland  to  dwell. 

22  "  But  aye,  at  ilka  seven  years, 

They  pay  the  teiud  to  hell; 
And  I'm  sae  fat  and  fair  of  flesh, 
I  fear  'twill  be  mysel' ! 

23  "  This  night  is  Hallow-e'en,  Janet, 

The  morn  is  Hallow-day, 
And  if  ye  dare  your  true  love  win, 
Ye  ha'e  nae  time  to  stay. 

24  "  The  night  it  is  good  Hallow-e'en, 

When  fairy  folk  will  ride  ; 
And  she  that  wou'd  her  true  love  win, 
At  Miles  Cross  she  maun  bide. 

25  "  And  ye  maun  gae  to  the  Miles  Cross, 

Between  twelve  hours  and  one, 
Take  haly  water  in  your  hand, 
And  cast  a  compass  roun'." 

26  "  And  how  shall  I  thee  ken,  Tamlane  ? 

And  how  shall  I  thee  knaw, 
Amang  sae  many  fairy  folk, 
The  like  I  never  saw  ?  " 

27  "  The  first  company  that  passes  by. 

Stand  still,  and  let  them  gae ; 
The  neist  company  that  passes  by, 
Stand  still,  and  do  right  sae. 

28  "  The  third  company  that  passes  by. 

All  clad  in  robes  of  green, 

It  is  the  head  ane  of  them  all, 

For  in  it  rides  the  queen. 

29  "  I'll  there  ride  on  the  milk-white  steed, 

With  a  gold  star  in  my  crown; 
Because  I  was  a  christen'd  knight, 
They  gi'e  me  that  renown. 

30  "  First  let  pass  the  black,  Janet, 

And  syne  let  pass  the  brown  ; 
But  grip  ye  to  the  milk-white  steed, 
And  pull  the  rider  down. 


',1 


TAMLANE.  191 


31  **  My  right  hand  will  be  gloved,  Janet, 

My  left  hand  will  be  bare ; 
And  these  the  tokens  I  gi'e  thee, 
If  ye  wou'd  win  me  there. 

32  "  They'll  tarn  me  in  your  arms,  Janet, 

An  adder  and  a  snake; 
But  hand  me  fast,  let  me  not  pass, 
If  ye  wou'd  be  my  maik.* 

33  "  They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  Janet, 

An  adder  and  an  aske  ;  f 
They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  Janet, 
A  bale  J  that  burns  fast. 

34  "  They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  Janet, 

A  red-hot  gad  of  airn  ;  § 
But  baud  me  fast,  let  me  not  pass. 
For  I'll  do  you  no  harm. 

35  "  First  dip  me  in  a  stand  of  milk. 

And  then  in  a  stand  of  water ; 
But  hand  me  fast,  let  me  not  pass, — 
I'll  be  your  bairn's  father. 

36  "  And  next,  they'll  shape  me  in  your  arms 

A  tod,  but  and  an  eel ; 
But  baud  me  fast,  nor  let  me  gang, 
As  you  do  love  me  weel. 

37  "  They'll  shape  me  in  your  arms,  Janet, 

A  dove,  but  and  a  swan; 
And  last  they'll  shape  me  in  your  arms 
A  mother-naked  man. 

38  "  Cast  your  green  mantle  over  me, 

I'll  be  mysel'  again ; 
Cast  your  green  mantle  over  me. 
And  sae  I  will  be  wan." 

39  G-loomy,  gloomy  was  the  night, 

And  eerie  ||  was  the  way. 
As  fair  Janet,  in  her  green  mantle, 
To  Miles  Cross  she  did  gae. 

•  "Maik:"  sweetheart,  wife.  J  "Gad  of  aim:"  bar  of  iron. 

t  "Aske:"  newt  If  "Eerie:"  producing  superstitiotu 

I  "Bale:"  fagot  dread. 


192  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


40  [The  heavens  were  black,  the  night  was  dark, 

And  dreary  was  the  place ; 
But  Janet  stood  with  eager  wish, 
Her  lover  to  embrace. 

41  Betwixt  the  hours  of  twelve  and  one, 

A  north  wind  tore  the  bent ; 
And  straight  she  heard  strange  elritch  sounds, 
Upon  that  wind  which  went. 

42  About  the  dead  hour  of  the  night, 

She  heard  the  bridles  ring ; 
And  Janet  was  as  glad  of  that 
As  any  earthly  thing. 

43  Their  oaten  pipes  blew  wondrous  shrill, 

The  hemlock  small  blew  clear, 
And  louder  notes  from  hemlock  large 

And  bog-reed  struck  the  ear ; 
But  solemn  sounds  or  sober  thoughts 

The  fairies  cannot  bear. 

44  They  sing,  inspired  with  love  and  joy, 

Like  skylarks  in  the  air ; 
Of  solid  sense,  or  thought  that 's  grave. 
You'll  find  no  traces  there. 

45  Fair  Janet  stood,  with  mind  unmoved. 

The  dreary  heath  upon ; 
And  louder,  louder  wax'd  the  sound. 
As  they  came  riding  on. 

46  Will  of  the  Wisp  before  them  went. 

Sent  forth  a  twinkling  light ; 
And  soon  she  saw  the  fairy  bands 
All  riding  in  her  sight.] 

47  With  haly  water  in  her  hand. 

She  cast  a  compass  round, 
As  she  beheld  the  fairy  band 
Come  riding  o'er  the  mound. 

48  And  first  gaed  by  the  black,  black  steed. 

And  then  gaed  by  the  brown; 
But  fast  she  gripp'd  the  milk-white  steed, 
And  puU'd  the  rider  down. 

49  She  puU'd  him  frae  the  milk-white  steed. 

And  let  the  bridle  fall ; 


I 


THE   WEE,   WEE   MAN.  IBS 


I 


And  up  there  raise  an  elritch*  cry, — 
"  He 's  won  amang  us  all ! " 

50  They  shaped  him  in  fair  Janet's  arms 

An  aske,  but  and  an  adder; 
She  held  hjm  fast  in  every  shape, 
To  be  her  bairn's  father. 

51  They  shaped  him  in  her  arms  at  last 

A  mother-naked  man ; 
She  cuist  f  her  mantle  over  him, 
And  sae  her  true  love  wan. 

52  Up  then  spake  the  fairy  queen, 

Out  of  a  bush  of  broom, — 
"  She  that  has  borrow'd  young  Tamlatio 
Has  got  a  stately  groom  !" 

53  Up  then  spake  the  fairy  queen, 

Out  of  a  bush  of  rye, — 
"  She 's  ta'en  away  the  bonniest  knight 
In  all  my  companie ! 

54  "  But  had  I  kenn'd,  Tamlane,"  she  says, 

"  A  lady  wou'd  borrow  thee, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  ta'en  out  thy  twa  gray  een, 
Put  in  twa  een  of  tree  ! 

55  "Had  I  but  kenn'd,  Tamlane,"  she  says, 

"  Before  ye  came  frae  hame, 
I  wou'd  ta'en  out  your  heart  of  flesh, 
Put  in  a  heart  of  stane ! 

56  "  Had  I  but  had  the  wit  yestreen 

That  I  ha'e  coft  |  this  day, 
Pd  paid  my  kane§  seven  times  to  hell, 
Ere  you'd  been  won  away  !'* 


THE  WEE,  WEE  MAN. 

Four  versions  of  this  ballad,  differing  only  slightly  from  each 
other,  have  appeared  in  the  under-named  works :  in  the  three  first, 
under  the  above  title,  and  in  the  last,  under  the  title  of  "The  Little 
Man"  :— 

I.  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  Sec. ,  vol.  i.,  p.  95. 
II.  Caw's  Poetical  Museum,  p.  348. 

*  Unearthly.  I  "Coft:"  bought. 

t  Threw.  5  "  Kane :"  payment  to  feudal  superiors 

0 


194  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


III.  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  343. 

IV.  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  263. 

Herd's  version  is  given  in  Johnson's  Museum,  vol.  iv.,  p.  382, 
accompanied  with  the  old  melody  to  which  it  was  sung.  Both 
words  and  music  were  copied  by  Ritson  in  his  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  ii., 
p.  139 ;  and  in  his  Historical  JSssay  on  Scottish  Song,  p.  Ixxxii.  (prefixed 
to  the  same  work),  he  refers  to  this  piece  in  these  terms: — "There 
is  one  song,  or  rather  fragment  of  one,  which  seems  to  merit 
particular  attention,  from  a  singular  evidence  of  its  origin  and 
antiquity.  It  is  inserted  in  the  present  collection  under  the  title  of 
'  The  Wee,  Wee  Man,'  and  begins, — 

'  As  I  was  walking  all  alone.' 

"The  original  of  this  song  is  extant  in  a  Scottish  or  Northumbrian 
poem  of  Edward  the  First  or  Second's  time,  preserved  in  the  British 
Museum,  and  intended  to  be  one  day  given  to  the  public.  The  two 
pieces  will  be  found  to  afford  a  curious  proof  how  poetry  is  preserved 
for  a  succession  of  ages  by  mere  tradition ;  for  though  the  imagery  or 
description  is  nearly  the  same,  the  words  are  altogether  different ; 
nor,  had  the  Canterbury  Tales  of  Chaucer  been  preserved  to  the 
present  time  in  the  same  manner,  would  there  have  remained  one 
single  word  which  had  fallen  from  the  pen  of  that  venerable  bard; 
they  would  have  been  as  comi)letely,  though  not  quite  so  elegantly, 
modernized  as  they  are  by  Dryden  and  Pope." 

This  passage  appears  to  have  been  unknown  to,  or  forgotten  by, 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  when  he  published  the  first  edition  of  his  Minstrelsy; 
as,  in  subsequeiit  editions,  he  explains,  in  his  introduction  to 
"Tamlane,"  that  "in  one  recital  only  the  well-known  fragment 
of  '  The  Wee,  Wee  Man '  was  introduced  in  the  same  measure  with 
the  rest  of  the  poem.  It  was  retained  in  the  first  edition,  but  is  now 
omitted,  as  the  editor  has  been  favoured,  by  the  learned  Mr.  Ritson 
with  a  copy  of  the  original  poem  of  which  it  is  a  detached  fragment.' 
The  poem  here  referred  to  by  Mr.  Eitson  and  Sir  Walter  Scott  follows 
"The  Wee,  Wee  Man." 

1  As  I  was  walking  all  alane, " 

Between  a  water  and  a  wa', 
There  I  espy'd  a  wee,  wee  man, — 
He  was  the  least  that  e'er  I  saw. 

2  His  legs  were  scarce  a  shathmont's*  length,e 

And  small  and  nimble  was  his  thie  ;  ■* 
Between  his  een  there  was  a  span  ; 

Between  his  shoulders  there  were  three.* 

«  "As  I  gaed  out  to  tak"  the  air, 

Between  Midmar  and  bonnie  Craigha'.'"— Buchan 

*  "Shathmont,"  in  old  Scottish,  means  the  fist  closed,  with  the  thumb  extended, 
and  may  be  considered  a  measure  of  about  six  inches;  Anglo-Saxon,  "Sc«eftmund." 

•-■  "His  legs  were  but  a  finger  lang." — Buchan. 
<i  Caw's  Poetical  Museum,  as  in  text. 

"And  [or  both*]  thick  and  nimble  was  his  knee." — Buchan  and  Motherwell.* 

"And  thick  and  thimber  was  his  thighs."— Herd. 

•  "Between his  shoulders  [there  were*]  ells  three." — Buchan  and  MotherweU.* 


THE  WEE,  WEE  MAN,  195 


3  He  puU'd  <•  up  a  meikle  stane,* 

And  flang  't  as  far  as  I  cou'd  see ; 
Though  I  had  been  as  Wallace  wight, 
I  couldna  liften  't  to  my  knee. 

4  "  Oh,  wee,  wefe  man,  but  ye  be  Strang! 

Oh,  tell  me  where  thy  dwelling  be?" 
*'  I  dwell  down  at  yon  bonnie  bow'r ;  * 
Oh,  will  you  go  with  me  and  see?  "  <* 

5  On  we  lap,  and  awa  we  rade, 

Till  we  came  to  yon  bonnie  green; 
We  lighted  down  to  bait  our  steed, « 
And  out  there  came  a  lady  sheen,  f 

6  With  four-and-twenty  at  her  back. 

All  comely  clad  in  glistering  green ;  « 
Though  there  the  king  of  Scots  had  stood,  * 
The  warst  might  weel  ha'e  been  his  queen. 

7  On  we  lap,  and  awa  we  rade,  * 

Till  we  came  to  a  bonnie  hall; 

The  roof  was  of  the  beaten  gowd,'' 

The  floor  was  of  the  crystal  all. 

«  "Took."— Herd.     "Hasta'en." — C&w'b  Poetical  Museum, 
b  "  This  wee,  wee  man  puU'd  up  a  Btane." — MotherwelL 

"He  lifted  a  stane  sax  feet  in  height, 
He  lifted  it  up  tiU  his  right  knee; 
And  fifty  yards  and  mair,  I'm  sure, 
I  wyte  he  made  the  stane  to  fiee."— BnchaiL 

e  "My  dwelling 's  down  at  yon  bonnie  bow'r." — Herd. 

<*  "Fair  lady,  will  ye  go  and  see?"— Motherwell 

«  "Horse."— Herd.         • 

/  "Fine."— Herd. 

0  Text  from  Caw's  Poetical  Museum. 

"And they  were  a'  clad  out  in  green."— Herd. 

*  "  Though  the  king  of  Scotland  had  been  there. 

The  warst  o'  them  might  ha'e  been  his  queen." — Herd. 

Mr.  Buchan's  version  omits  stanzas  5  and  6. 

*  "On  syne  we  pass  with  wondering  cheir."— Caw's  Poetical  Museum. 


I 


i  "The  rafters  were  o'  the  beaten  gold. 

And  silver  wire  were  the  kebars  all." — MotherwelL 

"  Sae  on  we  lap,  and  awa  we  rade. 
Till  we  came  to  yon  little  ha' ; 
The  kipples  were  o'  the  gude  red  gowd, 
The  reef  was  o'  the  proseyla'." — Bucbao. 


196  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


When  we  came  there,  with  wee,  wee  knights,* 
Were  ladies  dancing,  jimp  and  sma' ; 

But  in  the  twinkling  of  an  e'e, 
My  wee,  wee  man  was  clean  awa. 


AS  I  WENT  ON  AE  MONDAY,  f 

"  In  the  manuscript  from  which  these  verses  are  taken,  they  form 
the  preface  to  a  long  strain  of  incomprehensible  prophecies  of  the 
same  description  as  those  which  are  appended  to  '  Thomas  of 
Ersyldoune.'  Whether  the  two  portions  belong  together  or  not, 
the  first  alone  requires  to  be  cited  here  for  the  purpose  of  com- 
parison with  'The  Wee,  Wee  Man.'  The  M'hole  piece  has  been  twice 
printed  ;  first  by  Finlay,  in  his  Scottish  Ballads  (vol.  ii.,  p.  163),  and 
afterwards  by  a  person  who  was  not  aware  that  he  had  been 
anticipated,  in  the  Retrospective  Review,  second  series,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
32G. 

"  Both  texts  are  in  places  nearly  unintelligible,  and  are  evidently 
full  of  errors,  part  of  which  we  must  ascribe  to  the  incompetency  of 
the  editors.  Finlay's  is  on  the  whole  the  best ;  but  it  has  received  a 
few  corrections  from  the  other,  and  one  or  two  conjectural  emenda- 
tions."— Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  273. 

In  order  to  facilitate  "comparison"  with  "The  Wee,  Wee  Man," 
the  poem,  as  given  by  Professor  Child,  has  been  here  somewhat 
modernized,  chiefly  in  the  orthography. 

The  explanatory  notes  are  mostly  given  from  Professor  Child's 
Glossary  to  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  L 

1     As  I  went  on  ae  Monday 

Between  Wyltenden  and  Wall, 
The  ane  after  braid  way, 

A  little  man  I  met  withall, 
The  least  that  ever  I,  sooth  to  say, 

Either  [saw]  in  bow'r  or  in  hall; 
His  robe  was  neither  green  nor  gray, 

But  all  it  was  of  rich  pall.  J 

•  "  When  we  came  to  the  stair  foot."— Herd. 

"There  were  pipers  playing  in  every  neuk, 
And  ladies  dancing  jimp  and  ama'; 
And  aye  the  owreword  o'  their  tune 
Was—'  Our  wee,  wee  man  has  been  lang  awa.' "— MotherwelL 

Mr.  Buchan"s  version  concludes  thus  :— 

"Out  gat  the  lights,  on  cam'  the  mist. 
Ladies  nor  mannie  mair  oou'd  see; 
I  tum'd  about  and  gae  a  look  I 

Just  at  the  foot  o'  Benachie."  I 

*  The  title,  as  given  by  Professor  Child,  from  the  first  line  of  his  text,  is,  "  Als  y 
yod  on  ay  Mounday." 

J  "Pall:"  rich  cloth. 


I 


AS  I   WENT  ON  AE  MONDAY.  197 


2  On  me  he  call'd,  and  bade  me  bide; 

Well  still  I  stood  a  little  space; 
Frae  Lancaster  the  park  side 

On  he  came,  well  fair  his  pace. 
He  hailed  me  with  meikle  pride; 

I  had  well  meikle  ferly  "  what  he  was; 
I  said, — "  Well  might  the  '  betide, 

That  little  man  with  large  face." 

3  I  beheld  that  little  man 

By  the  street  as  we  gon  gae;  * 
His  beard  was  long  a  large  span. 

And  gilded  as  the  feather  of  pae;*' 
His  head  was  whit^  as  any  swan. 

His  eyes  wa?  great  and  gray  also; 
Brows  lang,  well  I  the  *  'gan 

Mark  it  to  five  inches, and  mae.* 

4  Arms  short,  for  sooth  I  say, 

A  span  seem'd  them  to  be; 
Hands  braid  withouten  nay. 

And  fingers  lang,  he  shewed  me. 
A  stane  he  took  iip  where  it  lay, 

And  castit  forth  that  I  might  see; 
A  nierk-shot  of  large  way 

Before  me  strides  he  castit  three. 

5  Well  still  I  stood  as  did  the  stane. 

To  look  him  on  though  me  not  lang; 
His  robe  was  all  gold  begane,-'' 

Well  craftlike  made  I  understand; 
Buttons  azure  every  ane 

Frae  his  elbow  unto  his  hand; 
Earth-like  man  was  he  nane. 

That  in  my  heart  I  understand. 

6  Till  him  I  said  full  soon  on-ane,  ' 

For  furthermair  I  wau'd  him  fraine,  * 
"  Gladly  wou'd  I  wit*  thy  name, 

And  I  wist  wat  me  mouthe  gaine;' 
Thou  art  so  little  of  flesh  and  bane, 

And  so  meikle  of  might  and  main, 

•  "Ferly: "  wonder.  '  "  On-ane: "  anon. 

6  "  The : "  thee  or  they.  z,  «  Fraine : "  question, 

"  "Gon  gae:  "  went  along.  .  ,.„,..  „, 

J    „       „  ,  <  "  Wit:    know. 

«  "Pae:    peacock. 

*  "  Mae : "  more.  ■'  '^^'^  ^™®'  *•''  "  ^ist"  means  knew; 
,  .  „  '  „ .  ,  ,  .  "wat,"  usually  know,  but  here  appa- 
/  "Begane:    bedecked.                          rendy  what;  '-mouthe: "  might 


198  BALLAD  MINSTBELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Where  vones"  thou,  little  man,  at  haine? 
Wit  of  thee  I  wou'd  full  fain." 

"  Though  I  be  little  and  lith,» 

Am  I  not  withouten  wane ;  * 
Fairly  questioned  thou  what  I  hith,  <* 

That « thou  s^alt  not  wit  my  name ; 
My  wonige  stede-''  full  well  is  dyght, ' 

Now  soon  thou  Bhalt  see  at  hame." 
Till  him  I  said,—"  For  God's  might, 

Let  me  forth  mine  errand  gane." 

"  Thee  thar  *  not  of  thine  errand  let,  * 

Though  thou  come  a  stonde''  with  me, 
Further  sAalt  thou  not  be  set, 

Be  miles  twa  neither  be  three." 
No  langer  durst  I  for  him  let, 

But  forth  I  funded  *  with  that  free; ' 
Stinted"*  us  brook  nor  beck;" 

Ferlicho  me  though  how  so  might  be. 

He  went  forth  as  I  you  say. 

In  at  a  gate,  I  understand; 
In  till  a  gate  withouten  nay; 

It  to  see  though  me  not  lang. 
The  bankers'"  on  the  binkes  »  lay, 

And  fair  lords  set  I  found; 
In  ilka  hirn  ^  I  heard  a  lay, 

And  ladies  soth'  melody  sang. 


TAMMIE  DOODLE. 

The  following  lively  little  nursery  piece  ia  here  set  down  from  re- 
citation : — 

1     Tammie  Doodle  was  a  cantie  chiel, 
Fu'  cantie  and  fu'  crouse; 
The  fairies  liked  him  unco  weel, 
And  built  him  a  wee  house. 

"  "Vones:"  wones,  dwellest  »  "Funded:"  went 

ft  "Lith:"  supple,  limber.  I  "Free:"  fey— lord  or  fairy. 

'  "  Wane : "  dwelling.  "•  "  Stinted : "  stopped. 

<2  "Hith:"  named.  ♦»  "Beck:"  stream. 

*  "That:"  yet  "   "Ferlich:"  wondered. 
/  "Wonige  Btede:"  dwelling-place.  *  "Bankers:"  covers. 
»  "Dyght:"  decked,  adorned.  »  "Binkes:"  benches. 

*  "Thar:"  it  needs.  »"  "Him:"  comer. 

*  "Let:"  hinder.  *  "Soth:"  soothing,  sweet 
>  "A Blonde:"  astoniBhed. 


I 


HTNDE  etht.  199 


And  when  the  house  was  all  built  up, 

And  finish'd  but  the  door, 
A  fairy  it  came  skippin'  in, 

And  danced  upon  the  floor. 

The  fairy  it  whirl'd  up  and  down, 

It  loupit  and  it  flang ; 
It  friskit  and  it  whiskit  roun\ 

And  croon'd  a  fairy  sang. 

At  length  it  whistled  loud  and  shrill, 

And  in  came  all  the  gang, 
Till  puir  little  Tammie  Doodle 

Was  maist  smother'd  in  the  thranar. 


HYNDE  ETIN. 


Mr.  Kinloch  printed  a  fragment  of  this  ballad,  tinder  the  above 
title,  in  his  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  225. 

Mr.  Buchan  next  communicated  a  considerably  different  version, 
under  the  title  of  "Young  Hastings  the  Groom,"  to  his  friend  Mr. 
Motherwell,  by  whom  it  was  given  in  Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and 
Modern,  p.  287.  It  was  afterwards  included  by^  Mr.  Buehan  in  his 
Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  67. 

Another  and  more  complete  version,  under  the  title  of  "  Young 
Akin,"  appears  in  Mr.  Buehan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i., 
p.  6. 

The  present  version  has  been  diligently  collated  from  all  three,  and 
has,  as  usual  imder  such  process,  received  what  are  considered  some 
necessary  alterations. 

The  six  opening,  two  intermediate,  and  three  Concluding,  stanzas  of 
"Young  Hastings,"  as  they  differ  greatly  from  the  present  version,  are 
given  next  in  order. 

Mr.  Kinloch's  version  of  "  Hynde  Etin"  is  prefaced  by  the  following 
remarks : — "  A  sanguine  antiquary  might,  |)erhaps,  with  some  proba- 
bility, discover  in  this  ballad  a  fragment  of  the  tale  or  romance  of '  The 
Reyde  Eyttyn  vitht  the  Thre  Heydis,'  mentioned  in  The  Complaynt 
of  Scotland.  Dr.  Leyden,  in  his  Preliminary  Dissertation  to  that 
work,  p.  235,  speaking  of  such  romances,  remarks,  that  they  are  either 
lost  or  only  exist  as  popular  tales.  The  'Red  Etin '  is  still  a  popular 
character  in  Scotland  ;  and,  according  to  the  vulgar  etymology  of  his 
name,  is  always  represented  as  an  insatiable  gormandizer  on  red  or 
raw  flesh,  and  exclaiming,  as  in  the  story  of  Jack  and  the  Bean 
Stalk,— 

*  Snouk  butt,  snouk  ben, 
I  And  the  smell  of  earthly  men.' 

"  In  this  ballad,  however,  he  bears  a  more  courteous  name  and 
character,  and  seems  to  have  lost  his  '  thre  heydis,'  and  his  appetite 


200  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


for  *  quyk  men ;'  although  his  gormandizing  qualities  are  proverbial 
in  Meamshire,  where  the  phrase,  '  Roaring  Hke  a  Red  Etin,'  is  applied 
to  any  one  who  is  clamorous  for  his  victuals. " 

Dr.  Leyden  observes,  that  "  the  idea  of  the  giants  who  devoured 
quick  men  is  probably  derived  from  the  Cyclops,  as  they  are  generally 
placed  in  Etaland"  [Etnaland?].  The  name  ^<jw,' however,  appears 
rather  to  be  derived  immediately  from  the  Danish  lette,  which  means 
giant. 

The  above  description  answers  better  the  "foul  thief"  of  "  Young 
Ronald,"  ante,  p.  149,  stanza  29,  and  the  "Gyant"  or  "Soldan"  of 
"Sir  Cawline,"  aide,  p.  157,  than  it  does  the  hero  of  the  following 
ballad. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  Dr.  Robert  Chambers's  Poprdar  Rhymes 
of  Scotland  (p.  89,  last  edition)  contains,  under  the  same  title  as  this 
ballad,  a  traditionary  story  interspersed  with  snatches  of  rhyme. 
It,  however,  differs  from  this  in  incident,  in  which,  as  well  as  in 
structure,  it  closely  resembles  the  succeeding  "interesting  relic  of 
ancient  Scottish  song,  entitled,  '  Child  Rowland  and  Fair  Burd 
Helen,'  a  legend  still  current  in  the  nursery,"  says  Motherwell,  M'm- 
strehsy,  Introduction,  p,  xc. 

1  May  Margaret  stood  within  her  bow'r, 

Combing  her  yellow  hair; 
She  heard  a  note  in  Elmond  wood, 
And  wish'd  that  she  was  there. 

2  May  Margaret  sat  in  her  bow'r  door, 

Sewing  her  silken  seam; 
She  heard  a  note  in  Elmond  wood, 
Amang  the  leaves  sae  green. 

3  She  let  the  seam  fall  frae  her  side, 

The  needle  to  her  tae; 
And  she  's  awa  to  Elmond  woo^ 
As  fast  as  she  cou'd  gae. 

4  She  hadna  pull'd  a  nut,  a  nut, 

A  nut  but  barely  ane, 
Till  up  started  the  Hynde  Etin, 
Says — "  Lady,  let  alane ! 

5  "  Oh,  why  pull  ye  the  nut,  the  nut, 

Or  why  break  ye  the  tree? 
For  I  am  forester  of  this  wood — 
Ye  shou'd  speir  leave  of  me." 

6  Yet  aye  she  pull'd  the  ither  berry. 

Ne'er  thinking  of  the  skaith, 
And  said — "To  wrang  ye,  Hynde  Etin, 
I  wou'd  be  unco  laith. 


HYNDE   ETIN.  201 


7  "  But  Elmond  wood  it  is  my  ain; 

My  father  gave  it  me, 
To  sport  and  play  when  I  thought  lang; 
I'll  speir  nae  leave  of  thee." 

8  He 's  ta'en  her  by  the  yellow  locks, 

And  tied  her  till  a  tree, 
And  said — "  For  slighting  my  commands, 
My  sair  weid  ye  shall  dree."  * 

9  Then  piill'd  a  tree  out  of  the  wood, 

The  biggest  that  was  there, 
And  houk'd  a  cave  monie  fathoms  deep. 
And  put  May  Margaret  there. 

10  "  Now  rest  ye  there,  ye  saucy  May  1 

My  woods  are  free  for  thee ; 
And  if  I  take  ye  to  mysel', 
The  better  ye'll  like  me\" 

11  Nae  rest,  nae  rest  May  Margaret  took, 

Sleep  got  she  never  nane; 
Her  back  lay  on  the  cauld,  cauld  floor, 
Her  head  upon  a  stane. 

12  "  Oh,  take  me  out,"  May  Margaret  cried; 

"  Oh,  take  me  hame  to  thee; 
And  I  shall  be  your  bouuden  page,^ 
Until  the  day  I  dee." 

13  He  took  her  out  of  the  di^ngeon  deep, 

And  awa  with  him  she  's  gane; 
But  sad  was  the  day  a  king's  daughter 
Was  by  Pynde  Etin  ta'en. 

14  Oh,  they  ha'e  lived  in  Elmond  wood 

For  nine  lang  years  and  ane, 
Till  seven  prettie  sons  to  Hynde  Etin 
May  Margaret  has  brocht  hame. 

15  But  these  seven  bairns,  sae  fair  and  fine, 

They  got  nae  christening; 
And  she  was  ne'er  within  kirk  door. 
Nor  e'er  got  gude  kirking. 

16  Then  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day, 

Hynde  Etin 's  hunting  gane ; 
And  the  eldest  of  his  seven  sons 
Alang  with  him  has  ta'en. 

*  My  grieTOus  and  furious  rage  j'e  shall  endure,  or  suffer. 


202  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  And  as  they  hameward  bent  their  way, 

And  slowly  on  did  walk, 
The  boy's  heart  being  somewhat  wae, 
He  thus  began  to  talk  : 

18  "  A  question  I  wou'd  ask,  father, 

If  ye  wou'dna  angry  be?  " 
"  Ask  on,  ask  on,  my  bonnie  boy, 
Ask  what  ye  will  at  me." 

19  "  I  see  my  mother's  cheeks  oft  wet, 

Alas!  they  are  seldom  dry;  " 
"  Nae  wonder,  nae  wonder,  my  bonnie  boy. 
Though  she  shou'd  oft-times  cry. 

20  "  Your  mother  was  a  king's  daughter, 

Sprung  frae  a  high  degree, 
And  she  might  ha'e  wed  some  noble  prince, 
Had  she  nae  been  stown  by  me. 

21  "  But  we'll  shoot  the  laverock  in  the  lift, 

The  buntin'  on  the  tree. 
And  bear  them  to  your  mother  dear^— 
See  if  she'll  merrier  be." 

22  It  fell  upon  anither  day, 

Hynde  Etin  's  hunting  gane. 
With  bow  and  arrows  by  his  side. 

In  greenwood  all  alane; 
And  left  May  Margaret  and  her  sous 

Within  their  cave  of  stane. 

23  Then  she  has  ta'en  her  harp  in  hand, 

And  harp'd  them  all  asleep. 
All  but  the  eldest  of  her  sons, 

Wha  still  did  waking  keep; 
And  as  she  harp'd,  it 's  thus  she  sang. 

And  bitterly  did  weep : 

24  "  Oh,  ten  lang  years  ha'e  o'er  me  flown. 

Of  sorrow  and  of  shame, 
Since  in  this  greenwood  I  was  stown. 
And  Etin's  wife  became. 

25  "  And  seven  fair  sons  to  him  I've  bom, 

Wha  ne'er  got  christendame ; 
Oh,  sad  fate  for  a  king's  daughter. 
Of  noble  birth  and  fame  1 


HTNDE  ETIN.  203 


26  "  Oh,  seven  fair  sons  to  him  I've  born, 

Yet  ne'er  got  gude  kirking; 
And  ten  years  in  this  cave  ha'e  been, 
Nor  e'er  heard  kirk  bells  ring." 

27  It 's  out  then  spake  her  eldest  son, 

A  brisk  young  boy  was  he, — 
"There's  something  I  wou'd  tell,  mother, 

If  ye  wou'dna  angry  be ; " 
*'  Speak  on,  speak  on,  my  bonnie  boy, 

Tell  what  ye  will  to  me." 

28  "  The  ither  day,  as  we  hunting  gaed, 

And  shot  birds  on  the  wing, 
Near  to  the  verge  of  the  wood  we  stray'd, 
And  I  heard  sweet  music  ring." 

29  "  My  blessings  on  you,  my  bonnie  boy ; 

And  oh,  I  fein  wou'd  be 
Alang  with  you  all  in  holy  kirk; 
There  christen'd  ye  wou'd  be." 

30  Oh,  out  then  spake  her  eldest  son, 

And  he  spake  out  with  glee, — 
"  Oh,  weep  nae  mair,  my  mother  dear. 
And  I  your  guide  will  be. 

31  "  Take  you  the  youngest  in  your  arms, 

The  rest  can  gang  alane, 
And  we  will  on  to  holy  kirk, 
And  leave  this  cave  of  stane." 

32  They  wistna  weel  where  they  were  gaen, 

With  their  wee  stratlin  feet; 
They  wistna  weel  where  they  were  gaen. 

Till  near  her  father's  yett ; 
But  May  Margaret  that  weel-kenn'd  spot 

She  ne'er  cou'd  it  forget. 

33  "  I  hae  nae  monie,"  May  Margaret  said, 

"  But  royal  rings  I've  three  : 
Here,  take  ye  them,  my  eldest  son, 
And  gang  ye  there  for  me. 

34  "  Ye'U  gi'e  the  first  to  the  proud  porter. 

And  he  will  let  you  in ; 
Ye'll  gi'e  the  next  to  the  butler  boy, 
And  he  will  show  you  ben. 


204  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAKD. 


35  "  Ye'll  gi'e  the  next  to  the  gude  harper, 

That  harps  before  the  king ; 
And  he  will  sweetly  tune  his  harp, 
And  success  to  you  sing." 

36  The  boy  went  bauldly  to  the  yett, 

And  did  as  he  was  bade ; 
And  everything  his  mother  tauld, 
It  happen'd  as  she  said. 

37  And  when  he  came  before  the  king, 

He  fell  low  on  his  knee ; 
The  king  he  turn'd  him  round  about, 
With  tear-draps  in  his  e'e. 

38  "  Win  up,  win  up,  my  bo;noie  boy, 

Gang  frae  my  companie; 
Ye  look  sae  like  my  daughter  dear, 
My  heart  will  burst  in  three." 

39  "  If  I  loo^  like  yo,ur  daughter  dea,r,^ 

Nae  wonder  it  need  be; 
If  I  look  like  your  daughter  dear, 
My  mather  dear  is  she." 

40  "  Oh,  tell  me  now,  my  bonnie  boy, 

Where  may  my  Margaret  be?" 
"  Sh^'s  just  i^ow  standing  at  your  yett, 
With  six  sons  forbye  me." 

41  "  Oh,  where  are  all  niy  porter  boys. 

That  I  pay  meat  and  fee. 
To  open  my  yetts  baith  wide  and  braid  ? 
Let  her  come  in  to  me." 

42  When  she  came  in  before  the  king, 

She  fell  low  on  her  knee; 
"  Win  up,  win  up,  my  daughter  dear, 
This  day  ye'll  dine  with  me." 

43  "  Ae  bit  I  canna  eat,  father. 

Nor  ae  drap  can  I  drink. 
Till  I  see  my  mother  and  sister  dear. 
For  lang  for  them  I  think. 

44  "  Ae  bit  I  canna  eat,  father, 

Nor  ae  drap  can  I  drink. 

Until  I  see  my  dear  husband, 

For  lang  on  him  I  think." 


HYNDE  ETIN. 


205 


45  "  Oh,  where  are  all  my  rangers  bauld, 

That  I  pay  meat  and  fee, 
To  search  the  forest  far  and  wide, 
And  bring  Etin  to  me?" 

46  Out  then  spake  the  bonnie  boy, — 

"  Na,  na,  this  maunna  be; 
Without  ye  grant  a  free  pardon, 
I  hope  ye'll  ne'er  him  see." 

47  "  Oh,  here  I  grant  a  free  pardon, 

Weel  seal'd  with  my  ain  ban' ; 
Gae  search  and  bring  here  Hynde  Etin, 
As  soon  as  e'er  you  can." 

48  They  search'd  the  country  wide  and  braid. 

The  forests  far  and  near ; 
Till  they  found  him  in  Elmond  wood, 
Tearing  his  yellow  hair. 

49  "  "Win  up,  win  up  now,  Hynde  Etin, 

Win  up,  and  boun  with  me; 
We're  messengers  come  frae  the  kiil^, 
And  he  wants  you  to  see." 

50  "  Oh,  let  him  take  frae  me  my  head, 

Or  hang  me  on  a  tree; 
For  since  I've  lost  my  dear  ladye. 
Life  has  nae  joy  to  me." 

51  "  Your  head  will  nae  be  touch'd,  Etin, 

And  hang'd  you  winna  be; 
Your  ladye 's  in  her  father's  court, 
And  all  he  wants  is  thee." 

52  When  he  came  in  before  the  king, 

He  fell  low  on  his  knee ; 
"  Arise,  arise  now,  Hynde  Etin, 
This  day  ye'se  dine  with  me.'* 

53  As  they  were  at  the  dinner  set. 

The  young  boy  thus  spake  he, — 
"  I  wish  we  were  at  holy  kirk. 
To  get  our  Chriatentie ! " 

54  *'  Your  asking's  nae  sae  great,  my  boy, 

But  granted  it  shall  be  ; 
This  day  to  gude  kirk  ye  shall  gang, — 
Your  mother  too  with  thee." 


206  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


55  When  they  unto  the  gude  kirk  came, 

She  at  the  door  did  stan' ; 
She  was  sae  sair  sunk  down  with  shame, 
She  wou'dna  venture  ben. 

56  Then  out  and  spake  the  parish  priest, 

And  a  sweet  smile  ga'e  he, — 
"  Come  ben,  come  ben,  my  lilie  flower, 
Present  your  babes  to  me." 

57  And  he  has  ta'en  and  sained  them  all, 

And  gi'en  them  Christentie; 
And  they  staid  in  her  father's  hall, 
And  lived  with  mirth  and  glee. 


YOUNG  HASTINGS. 
See  Introduction  to  "HyndeEtin,"  ante,  p.  199. 

Oh,  well  like  I  to  ride  in  a  mist. 
And  shoot  in  a  northern  win' ; 

And  far  better  a  lady  to  steal, 
That 's  come  of  a  noble  kiu. 

Four-and'twenty  fair  ladies 

Put  on  this  lady's  sheen; 
And  as  many  young  gentlemen 

Did  lead  her  o'er  the  green. 

Yet  she  preferr'd,  before  them  all. 
Him  young  Hastings  the  groom : 

He 's  coosten  a  mist  before  them  all, 
And  away  this  lady  has  ta'en. 

He 's  taken  the  lady  on  him  behind, 
Spar'd  neither  grass  nor  corn. 

Till  they  came  to  the  wood  of  Amonshaw, 
Where  again  their  loves  were  sworn. 

And  they  ha'e  lived  within  that  wood 

Full  many  a  year  and  day ; 
And  were  supported  from  time  to  time 

By  what  he  made  of  prey. 

And  seven  bairns,  fair  and  fine, 
There  she  has  born  to  him; 

Yet  never  was  in  gude  kirk  door, 
Nor  ever  got  gude  kirking. 


CHILD  ROWLAND  AND  BURD   ELLEN.  207 


Stanzas  corresponding  to  16  to  20  inclusive  of  "Hynde  Etin" 
should  evidently  follow,  and  then  two  stanzas,  as  given  in  Mr, 
Buchan's  "Young  Akin,"  but  which  palpably  belong  properly  to 
the  present  version.     They  are : — 

"  I  was  her  father's  cup-bearer, 

Just  at  that  fatal  time; 
I  catch'd  her  on  a  misty  night, 

When  summer  was  in  prime. 

"  My  love  to  her  was  most  sincere, 

Her  love  was  great  for  me  ; 
But  when  she  hardships  doth  endure, 

Her  folly  she  does  see." 

Then  come,  next  in  order,  stanzas  corresponding  to  23  to  31 
inclusive  of  the  present  text,  and  to  five  stanzas  in  "  Young 
Hastings ; "  after  which  succeed  the  following : — 

"  Then  go  with  us  unto  some  kirk — 

You  say  they  are  built  of  stane — 
And  let  us  all  be  christen'd  [there], 

And  you  get  gude  kirking," 

She  took  the  youngest  in  her  lap. 

The  next  youngest  by  the  hand, 
Set  all  the  rest  of  them  before, 

A»  she  learnt  them  to  gang. 

And  she  has  left  the  wood  with  them, 

And  to  the  kirk  has  gane; 
Where  the  gude  priest  them  christened, 

And  gave  her  gude  kirking. 


CHILD  ROWLAND  AND  BURD  ELLEN. 

Given  by  Jamieson.  in  lUuatrationa  of  Northern  Antiquities,  p. 
397. 

Mr.  Jamieson  alleges,  and  Professor  Child  thinks,  "it  is  not  im- 
possible that  this  baUad  should  be  the  one  quoted  by  Edgar  in  King 
Lear  (act  iii.,  sc.  4) : — 

'  Child  Rowland  to  the  dark  tower  came  !' " 

Mr.  Jamieson  remarks,  that,  "  having  the  outline  of  the  story  so 
happily  sketched  to  his  hand,  it  would  have  required  no  very  great 
exertion  of  talents  or  industry,  for  one  exercised  in  these  studies,  to 
have  presented  this  Romance  in  a  poetical  dress,  far  more  correct  and 
generally  engaging  than  that  in  which  it  can  be  expected  to  be  foimd  ; 


208  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


but,  as  he  accounts  an  original,  however  imperfect,  which  bears  the 
genuine  marks  of  the  age  which  produced  it,  and  of  the  taste  of  those 
who  have  preserved  it,  much  more  interesting  to  the  historian  or 
antiquary  than  any  mere  modern  tale  of  the  same  kind,  however 
artfully  constructed,  he  has  preferred  subjoining  the  Scottish  legend 
inpuris  naturalibtis,  in  the  hope  that  the  publication  of  it  may  be  the 
means  of  exciting  curiosity,  and  procuring  a  more  perfect  copy  of  this 
singular  relic." 

The  ballad  of  "  Rosmer  Hafmand,"  which  is  to  be  found  in  Danish, 
Swedish,  Faroish,  and  Norse,  and  three  versions  of  which  have  been 
translated  by  Jamieson,  bears  a  considerable  resemblance  to  ' '  Child 
Eowland." 

The  tale  of  the  Red  Etin,  which  it  also  closely  resembles,  has  al- 
ready been  alluded  to  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  introductory 
note,  atite,  p.  200. 

"The  occurrence  of  the  name  of  Merlin,"  writes  Professor  Child,  "  is 
by  no  means  a  sufBcient  ground  for  connecting  this  tale,  as  Jamieson 
does,  with  the  cycle  of  King  Arthur  ;  for  Merlin,  as  Grundtvig  has 
remarked  ('Folkeviser,'  vol.  ii.,  p.  79),  did  not  originally  belong  to  that 
cycle ;  and  again,  his  name  seems  to  have  been  given  in  Scotland  to  any 
sort  of  wizard  or  [warlock]  prophet. " — English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol. 
i  ,  p.  245.  And  in  a  prefatory  note  to  "  Rosmer  Hafmand,"  Professor 
Child  further  states,  that  ' '  all  the  questions  bearing  upon  its  origin, 
and  the  relations  of  the  various  forms  in  which  the  story  exists,  are 
amply  discussed  by  Grundtvig,  voL  ii.,  p.  72." — Same  work  and  vol., 
p.  253. 

[King  Arthur's  sons  of  merry  Carlisle] 

Were  playing  at  the  ball ; 
And  there  was  their  sister  Burd  Ellen, 

I'  the  inids  amang  them  all; 

Child  Rowland  kick'd  it  with  his  foot, 

And  keppit  it  with  his  knee, 
And  aye,  as  he  played  out  o'er  them  all, 

O'er  the  kirk  he  gar'd  it  flee. 

Burd  Ellen  round  about  the  isle 

To  seek  the  ball  is  gane; 
But  they  bade  lang  and  ay  langer, 

And  she  came  na  back  again. 

They  sought  her  east,  they  sought  her  west, 

They  sought  her  up  and  down ; 
And  wae  were  the  hearts  [in  merry  Carlisle], 

For  she  was  nae  gait  found ! 

"  At  last  her  eldest  brother  went  to  the  Warluck  Merlin  {Myrddin 
Wyldt),  and  asked  if  he  knew  where  his  sister,  the  fair  Burd  EUeu, 
was.  '  The  fair  Burd  Ellen,'  said  the  Warlack  Merlin,  '  is  carried  away 
by  the  fairies,  and  is  now  in  the  castle  of  the  king  of  Ellland  ;  and 


I 


CHILD   ROWLAND   AND  BURD  ELLEN.  209 


it  were  too  bold  an  undertaking  for  the  stoutest  knight  in  Christ- 
endom to  bring  her  back.'  '  Is  it  possible  to  bring  her  back  ? '  said 
her  brother  ;  '  and  I  will  do  it  or  perish  in  the  attempt.'  '  Possible, 
indeed,  it  is,'  said  the  Warluck  Merlin  ;  '  but  woe  to  the  man  or 
mother's  son  who  attempts  it,  if  he  is  not  well  instructed  beforehand 
of  what  he  is  to  do.' 

"  Influenced  no  less  by  the  glory  of  such  an  enterprise  than  by  the 
desire  of  rescuing  his  sister,  the  brother  of  the  fair  Burd  Ellen  re- 
solved to  undertake  the  adventure  ;  and  after  proper  instructions  from 
Merlin  (which  he  failed  in  observing),  he  set  out  on  his  perilous  ex- 
pedition. 

But  they  bade  lang  and  ay  langer, 

With  dout  and  mickle  maen ; 
And  wae  were  the  hearts  [in  merry  Carlisle], 

For  he  came  na  back  again. 

"  The  second  brother  in  like  manner  set  out ;  but  failed  in  observing 
the  instructions  of  the  Warluck  Merlin ;  and — 

They  bade  lang  and  ay  langer, 

With  mickle  dout  and  rnaen ; 
And  wae  wete  the  hearts  [in  merry  Carlisle], 

For  he  came  na  back  again. 

"  Child  Rowland,  the  youngest  brother  of  the  fair  Burd  Ellen,  then 
resolved  to  go ;  but  was  strenuously  opposed  by  the  good  queen 
[Gwenevra],  who  was  afraid  of  losing  all  her  children. 

"  At  last  the  good  queen  [Gwenevra]  gave  him  her  consent  knd  her 
blessing;  he  girt  on  (in  great  form,  and  with  all  due  soleninity  of 
sacerdotal  consecration)  his  father's  good  claymore  [Excalibar],  that 
never  struck  in  vain,  and  repaired  to  the  cave  of  the  Warluck  Merlin. 
The  Warluck  Merlin  gave  him  all  necessary  instructions  for  his 
journey  and  conduct,  the  most  important  of  which  were,  that  he 
should  kill  every  person  he  met  with  after  entering  the  land  of  Fairy, 
and  should  neither  eat  nor  drink  of  What  was  offered  him  in  that 
country,  whatever  his  hunger  or  thirst  might  be ;  for  if  he  tasted  or 
touched  in  Elfland,  he  must  remain  in  the  power  of  the  Elves,  and 
never  see  middle  eard  again. 

"  So  Child  Rowland  set  out  on  his  journey,  and  travelled  'on  and 
ay  farther  on,'  till  he  came  to  where  (as  he  had  been  forewarned  by 
the  Warluck  Merlin)  he  found  the  king  of  Elfland's  horse-herd  feeding 
his  horses. 

*'  'Canst  thou  tell  me,'  said  Child  Rowland  to  the  horse-herd, 
'where  the  king  of  Elfland's  castle  is?'  'I  cannot  tell  thee,'  said 
the  horse-herd ;  '  but  go  on  a  little  farther,  and  thou  wilt  come  to 
the  cow-herd,  and  he,  perhaps,  may  tell  thee.'  So  Child  Rowland 
drew  the  good  claymore  [Excalibar],  that  never  struck  in  vain,  and 
hewed  off  the  head  of  the  horse-herd.  Child  Rowland  then  went 
on  a  little  farther,  till  he  came  to  the  kinw  of  Elfland's  cow-herd, 
who  was  feeding  his  cows.  'Canst  thou  tell  me,'  said  Child  Row- 
land to  the  cow-herd,  'where  the  king  of  Elfland's  castle  is?'   *I 


210  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


cannot  tell  thee,'  said  the  cow -herd  ;  '  but  go  on  a  little  farther,  and 
thou  wilt  come  to  the  sheep-herd,  and  he,  perhaps,  may  tell  thee.' 
So  Child  Rowland  drew  the  good  claymore  [Excalibar],  that  never 
struck  in  vain,  and  hewed  off  the  hesid  of  the  cow-herd.     He  then 

went  on  a  little  farther,  till  he  came  to  the  sheep-herd 

[The  sheep-herd,  goat-herd,  and  swine-Jierd  are  all,  each  in  his  turn, 
served  in  the  same  manner  ;  and  lastly  he  is  re/erred  to  tJie  Jten-wi/e.] 

"  '  Go  on  yet  a  little  farther,'  said  the  hen-wife,  '  till  thou  come  to 
a  round  green  hill  surrounded  with  rings  (terraces)  from  the  bottom 
to  the  top  ;  go  round  it  three  times  widershins,  and  every  time 
say,  Oi)en,  door  !  opep,  door  !  and  let  me  come  in !  and  the  third 
time  the  door  will  open,  and  you  may  go  in.'  So  Child  Rowland 
drew  the  good  claymore  [E?calibar],  that  never  struck  in  vain,  and 
hewed  off  the  head  of  the  hen-wife.  Then  went  he  three  times 
widershins  round  the  green  hUl,  crying,  '  Open,  door !  open,  door ! 
and  let  me  come  in ; '  and  the  third  time  the  door  opened,  and  he 
went  in. 

"  It  immediately  closed  behind  him,  and  he  proceeded  through  a 
long  passage  where  the  air  was  soft  and  agreeably  warm,  like  a  May 
evening,  as  is  all  the  air  of  Elfland.  The  light  was  a  sort  of  twilight  or 
gloaming;  but  there  were  neither  windows  nor  candles,  and  he  knew 
not  whence  it  came,  if  it  was  not  from  the  walls  and  roof,  which  were 
rough  and  arched  like  a  grotto,  and  composed  of  a  clear  transparent 
rock,  incrusted  with  sheeps-sllver  and  spar,  and  various  bright  stones. 
At  last  he  came  to  two  wide  and  lofty  folding-doors,  which  stoo<l 
ajar.  He  opened  them,  and  entered  a  large  and  spacious  hall,  whose 
richness  and  brilliance  no  tongue  can  tell.  It  seemed  to  extend  the 
whole  length  and  height  of  the  hill.  The  superb  Gothic  pillars  by 
which  the  roof  was  supported  were  so  large  and  so  lofty  (said  my 
sennachy)  that  the  pillars  of  the  Chanry  Kirk,*  or  of  Pluscardin 
Abbey,  are  no  more  to  be  compared  to  them,  than  the  Knock  of  Alves 
is  to  be  compared  to  Balrinnes  or  Ben-a-chi.  They  were  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  were  fretted  like  the  west  window  of  the  Chanry  Kirk, 
with  wreaths  of  flowers,  composed  of  diamonds  and  precious  stones  of 
all  manner  of  beautiful  colours.  The  key-stones  of  the  arches  above, 
instead  of  coats  of  arms  and  other  devices,  were  ornamented  with 
clusters  of  diamonds  in  the  same  manner.  And  from  the  middle  of  the 
roof,  where  the  principal  arches  met,  was  himg  by  a  gold  chain  an 
immense  lamp  of  one  hollowed  pearl,  perfectly  transparent,  in  the 
midst  of  which  was  suspended  a  large  carbuncle,  that  by  the  power 
of  magic  continually  turned  round,  and  shed  over  all  the  hall  a  clear 
and  mild  light,  like  the  setting  sun  ;  but  the  hall  was  so  large,  and 
these  dazzling  objects  so  far  removed,  that  their  blended  radiance  cast 
no  more  than  a  pleasing  lustre,  and  excited  no  more  than  agreeable 
sensations  in  the  eyes  of  Child  Rowland. 

"  The  furniture  of  the  hall  was  suitably  to  its  architecture  ;  and  at 
the  farther  end,  under  a  splendid  canopy,  seated  on  a  gorgeous  sofa 
of  velvet,  silk,  and  gold,  and  '  kembing  hpr  yellow  hair  with  a  silver 
kemb,* — 

*  The  cathedral  of  Elgin  naturally  eiiongh  furnished  similes  to  a  man  who  had 
neyer  in  his  life  been  twenty  miles  distant  froi.i  it. 


CHILD   ROWLAND   AND   BURD   ELLEN,  211 


There  was  his  sister  Burd  Ellen; 
She  stood  up  him  before. 


Says,- 


'  God  rue  on  thee,  poor  luckless  fode !  * 
What  hast  thou  to  do  here  ? 

'  And  hear  ye  this,  my  youngest  brither, 

Why  badena  ye  at  hame  ? 
Had  ye  a  hunder  and  thousand  lives, 

Ye  canna  brook  ane  o'  them, 

'And  sit  thou  down;  and  wae!  oh  wae! 

That  ever  thou  was  born; 
For  come  the  king  o'  Elfland  in, 

Thy  leccam  f  is  forlorn !  * 

"  A  long  conversation  then  takes  place :  Child  Rowland  tells  her  the 
news  of  [merry  Carlisle],  and  of  his  own  expedition ;  and  concludes 
with  the  observation,  that,  after  this  long  and  fatiguing  journey  to  the 
castle  of  the  king  of  Elfland,  he  is  very  hungry. 

"Burd  Ellen  looked  wistfully  and  mournfully  at  him,  and  shook 
her  head,  but  said  uothing.  Acting  under  the  influence  of  a  magic 
which  she  could  not  resist,  she  arose,  and  brought  him  a  golden  bowl 
full  of  bread  and  milk,  which  she  presented  to  him  with  the  same 
timid,  tender,  and  anxious  expression  of  solicitude. 

' '  Eemembering  the  instructions  of  the  Warluck  Merlin,  '  Burd 
Ellen,'  said  Child  Rowland,  'I  will  neither  taste  nor  touch  till  I 
have  set  thee  free  !'  Immediately  the  folding-doors  burst  open  with 
tremendous  violence,  and  in  came  the  king  of  Elfland, — 

With  'Fi.fi,  fo  and/Mffj  / 

I  smell  the  blood  of  a  Christian  man ! 

Be  he  dead,  be  he  living,  with  my  brand 
I'll  clash  his  hams  frae  his  harn-pan!' 

"  'Strike,  then,  bogle  of  hell,  if  thou  darest!'  exclaimed  the  un- 
daunted Child  Rowland,  starting  uj),  and  drawing  the  good  claymore 
[Excalibar],  that  never  struck  in  vain. 

"A  furious  combat  ensued,  and  the  king  of  Elfland  was  felled  to 
the  ground ;  but  Child  Rowland  spared  him,  on  condition  that  he 
should  restore  to  him  his  two  brothers,  who  lay  in  a  trance  in  a 
comer  of  the  hall,  and  his  sister,  the  fair  Burd  Ellen.  The  king  of 
Elfland  then  produced  a  small  crystal  vial,  containing  a  bright  red 
liquor,  with  which  he  anointed  the  lips,  nostrils,  eye- lids,  ears,  and 
flnger-ends  of  the  two  young  men,  who  immediately  awoke  as  from 
a  profound  sleep,  during  which  their  souls  had  quitted  their  bodies, 
and  they  had  seen,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.  So  they  all  four  returned  in  triumph 
to  [merry  Carlisle]. 

* 'Fode:  "  man.  t ''Leccam:"  body. 


212  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"  Snch  was  the  rude  outline  of  the  Romance  of  Child  Rowland,  as  it 
was  told  to  me  when  I  was  about  seven  or  eight  years  old,  by  a  coun- 
try tailor  then  at  work  in  my  father's  house.  He  was  an  ignorant 
and  dull  good  sort  of  honest  man,  who  seemed  never  to  have  questioned 
the  truth  of  what  he  related.  Where  the  etcmteras  are  put  down, 
many  curious  particulars  have  been  omitted,  because  I  was  afraid  of 
being  deceived  by  my  memory,  and  substituting  one  thing  for  another. 
It  is  right  also  to  admonish  the  reader,  that  the  Warluck  MerUn, 
Child  Rowland,  and  Burd  Ellen,  were  the  only  names  introduced  in 
Ms  recitation;  and  that  the  others,  inclosed  within  brackets,  are 
assumed  upon  the  authority  of  the  locality  given  to  the  story  by  the 
mention  of  Merlin.  In  every  other  respect  I  have  been  as  faithful  as 
possible." — Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  voL  i.,  pp. 
245-252. 


CLERK  COLVILL  AND  THE  MERMAID. 

The  following  ballad  was  printed  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  i. , 
p.  217 ;  and  in  an  altered  shape  in  Lewis's  Tales  of  Wonder,  No.  56. 

It  was  reprinted  from  Herd  by  Mr.  Buchan,  in  his  Gleanings,  &c. , 
p.  92;  and  in  a  note  thereto,  in  the  same  collection,  p.  195,  he  states 
that  "the  scene  is  laid  at  Slains,  on  the  coast  of  Buchan,  which  is 
indented  in  many  places  by  the  sea  with  immense  chasms,  excavated 
in  many  places  to  a  great  extent.  The  author  is  said  to  be  of  the 
name  of  Clark,  a  drunken  dominie  in  that  parish — i.e.,  Slains — who 
was  also  author  of  a  poetical  '  Dialogue  between  the  Gardeners  and 
the  Tailors,'  on  the  origin  of  their  crafts,  and  a  most  curious  Latin 
and  English  poem,  called  'The  Buttery  College  of  Slains,'  which 
resembles  much  in  language  and  style  Drummond's  (of  Hawthomden) 
'  Polemo-Middinia.'  " 

The  poem  last  referred  to  appears  to  be  that  printed  in  Watson's 
Collection  of  Scots  Poems,  part  iii,  pp.  56  to  69,  Edinburgh,  1711. 
Fac-simile  reprint,  Glasgow,  1869. 

The  accuracy  of  the  report  as  to  Clark's  authorship  of  "Clerk 
Colvill"  may  well  be  questioned,  as  versions  of  the  ballad,  or  of 
others  similar,  appear  to  be  common  to  all  the  northern  languages. 
See  Profefssor  Child's  prefatory  note  (English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol. 
i.,  p.  298)  to  a  translation  of  the  Danish  Elveskud  (Abrahamson,  vol.  i., 
J).  2.37),  from  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  219, 
where  it  appears  under  the  title  of  "Sir  Oluf  and  the  Elf- King's 
Daughter."  "  Sir  Oluf,"  or,  as  it  is  there  named,  "  Sir  Olave,"  may 
also  be  found  translated  in  Old  Danish  Ballads,  &c.,  p.  66.  This 
ballad,  and  others  of  the  same  class,  exemplify  "a  superstition  deeply 
rooted  in  the  belief  of  all  the  northern  nations — the  desire  of  the 
elves  and  water-spirits  for  the  love  of  Christians." — Professor  Child, 
English  ami  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i. ,  p.  192. 

A  similar  Breton  ballad,  named  "Lord  Nann  and  the  Korrigan," 
may  be  found  translated  in  Keightley'a  Fairy  Mythology,  p.  433. — 
Bohn^s  Antiquarian  Library. 


CLERK  COLVILL  AND  THE  MERMAID.  213 


1  Clerk  Colvill  and  his  lusty  dame 

Were  walking  in  the  garden  green ; 
The  belt  around  her  stately  waist 
Cost  Clerk  Colvill  of  pounds  fifteen. 

2  "  Oh,  promise  me  now,  Clerk  Colvill, 

Or  it  will  cost  ye  muckle  strife, 
Ride  never  by  the  wells  of  Slane, 

If  ye  wou'd  live  and  brook  your  life." 

3  "  Now  speak  nae  mair,  my  lusty  dame, 

Now  speak  nae  mair  of  that  tq  me ; 
Did  I  ne'er  see  a  fair  woman, 

But  I  wou'd  sin  with  hex  fair  bodie?  " 

4  He 's  ta'en  leave  of  his  gay  ladye, 

Nought  minding  what  his  ladye  said; 
And  he 's  rode  by  the  wells  of  Slane, 
Where  washing  was  a  bonnie  maid. 

5  "  Wash  on,  wash  on,  my  bonnie  maid. 

That  wash  sae  clean  your  sark  of  silk; " 
"  And  well  fa'  you,  fair  gentleman. 
Your  body's  whiter  than  the  milk," 

6  Then  loud,  loud  cry'd  the  Clerk  Colvill,— 

"  Oh,  my  head  it  pains  me  sair!  " 
"  Then  take,  then  take,"  the  maiden  said, 
"  And  frae  my  sark  you'll  cut  a  gare." 

7  Then  she  gave  him  a  little  bane-knife, 

And  frae  her  sark  he  cut  a  gare ; 
She  ty'd  it  round  his  whey-white  face. 
But  aye  his  head  it  ached  [the]  mair. 

8  Then  louder  cry'd  the  Clerk  Colvill,— 

"  Oh,  sairer,  sairer  aches  my  head! " 
"  And  sairer,  sairer  ever  will," 
The  maiden  cry's,  "  till  you  be  dead." 

9  Out  then  he  drew  his  shining  blade, 

Thinking  to  stick  her  where  she  stood; 
But  she  was  vanish'd  to  a  fish, 
And  swam  far  ofi",  a  fair  mermaid. 

10     "  Oh!  mother,  mother,  braid  ray  hair; 
My  lusty  lady,  make  my  bed ; 
Oh !  brother,  take  my  sword  and  spear, 
For  I  have  seen  the  false  mermaid." 


2l4  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND, 


THE  MERMAID. 

From  Mr.  Finlay's  Scottish,  Historical,  and  Romantic  Ballads. 

"This  beautiful  piece  of  poetry,"  says  Mr.  Finlay,  "was  re- 
covered from  the  recitation  of  a  lady,  who  heard  it  sung  by  the 
servants  in  her  father's  family  about  fifty  years  ago;"  i.e.,  about 
1758,  as  Mr.  Finlay's  collection  was  published  in  1808. 

"  'The  Mermaid,'  says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "though  Mr.  Finlay  con- 
siders it  an  old  ballad,  is  certainly  wholly  re-written.  There  are 
stories,  sure  enough,  of  knights — yea,  squires  of  low  degree — being 
captivated  by  these  '  swimming  ladies,'  rife  in  every  part  of  the 
country;  and  the  only  one  on  record  who  was  so  fortunate  as  to 
escape  their  embraces  was  a  gentleman  commemorated  in  the  rhyme 
given  by  Mr.  Chambers  in  his  late  curious  work,  The  Popular  Rhymea 
of  Scotland,  1826,  p.  208.     (Last  edition,  1870,  p.  332.) 

'  Lomtie,  Lomtie,  wer't  na  for  your  man, 
I  had  gart  your  heart's  blude  skirl  in  my  pan.' 

"But  as  to  the  verses  in  Mr.  Finlay's  book,  or  those  in  Mr. 
Pinkerton's,  on  a  similar  subject,  being  ancient,  I  must  beg  leave  to 
remain  incredulous." — Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixxxvii. 

1  To  yon  fause  stream  that,  near  the  sea, 

Hides  mony  an  elf  and  plum,* 
And  rives  with  fearful  din  the  stanes, 
A  witless  knicht  did  come. 

2  The  day  shines  clear — far  in  he 's  gane, 

Where  shells  are  silver  bright; 
Fishes  war  loupiii'  all  aroun', 
And  sparklin'  to  the  light. 

3  When,  as  he  laved,  sounds  came  sae  sweet 

Frae  ilka  rock  and  tree; 
The  brief  was  out,  'twas  him  it  doom'd 
The  mermaid's  face  to  see. 

4  Frae  'neath  a  rock,  sune,  sane  she  rose, 

And  stately  on  she  swam, 
Stopp'd  in  the  midst,  and  beck'd  and  sang 
To  him  to  stretch  his  han'. 

5  Gowden  glist  the  yellow  links 

That  round  her  neck  she'd  twine ; 
Her  een  were  of  the  skyie  blue, 
Her  lips  did  mock  the  wine. 

*  "  Plum : "  a  d3ep  hole  in  a  river's  bed 


ALISON  GROSS.  *  215 


6  The  smile  upon  her  bonnie  cheek 

Was  sweeter  £han  the  bee ; 
Her  voice  excell'd  the  birdie's  sang 
Upon  the  birchen  tree. 

7  Sae  coutbie,  couthie  did  she  look, 

And  meikle  had  she  fleech'd ;  * 
Out  shot  his  hand — alas !  alas ! 
Fast  in  the  ewirl  he  screech'd. 

8  ''The  mermaid  leuch,  her  brief  was  gane, 

And  kelpie's  blast  was  blawin'; 
Full  low  she  dook'd,  ne'er  raise  again, 
For  deep,  deep  was  the  fawin'. 

9  Aboon  the  stream  his  wraith  was  seen, 

Warlocks  tirl'd  lang  at  gloamin';  • 
That  e'en  was  coarse,  the  blast  blew  hoarse. 
Ere  lang  the  waves  were  foamin'. 


ALISON  GROSS. 


From  Mr.  JamieSon's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  187,  where  it  is 
said  to  be  given  "  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Brown." 

In  a  note  (p.  189),  Mr.  Jamieson  explains,  that  "  the  term  worm 
formerly  signified,  like  serpent,  '  a  reptUe  of  any  kind  that  made  its 
way  without  legs.'  Here  it  signifies  a  snake.  Piers  Plowman,  using 
it  in  the  same  sense  for  a  serpent,  speaks  of  '  wyld  wormes  in  woodes,' 
&c.,  ed.  1561.     F.  0.,  iii.,  1." 

He  also  explains  "Seeley  Court"  as  meaning  "pleasant  or  happy 
court,"  or  "  court  of  the  pleasant  and  happy  people  ;"  which,  he  says, 
"  agrees  with  the  ancient  and  more  legitimate  idea  of  fairies." 

1  0  Alison  Gross,  that  lives  in  yon  tow'r. 

The  ugliest  witch  in  the  north  countrie, 
She  trysted  me  ae  day  up  till  her  bow'r, 
And  mony  fair  speeches  she  made  to  me. 

2  She  straik'd  my  head,  and  she  kaim'd  my  hair, 

And  she  set  me  down  saftly  on  her  knee; 
Says — "  If  ye  will  be  my  leman  sae  true, 
Sae  mony  braw  things  as  I  will  you  gi'e." 

8     She  shaw'd  me  a  mantle  of  red  scarlet, 
With  gowden  flowers  and  fringes  fine; 
Says — "  If  ye  will  be  my  leman  sae  true, 
This  goodly  gift  it  shall  be  thine." 
♦  "  Pleeched : "  flattered,  or  beseechod. 


216  BALI  AD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


4  "  Awa,  awa,  ye  ugly  witch, 

Haud  far  awa,  and  let  me  be ; 
I  never  will  be  your  leman  sae  true. 

And  I  wish  I  were  out  of  your  company." 

5  She  neist  brocht  a  sark  of  the  eaftest  silk, 

Weel  wrought  with  pearls  about  the  band; 
Says — "  If  ye  will  be  my  ain  true  love. 
This  goodly  gift  ye  shall  command." 

6  She  show'd  me  a  cup  of  the  good  red  gowd,  ;     .- 

Weel  set  with  jewels  sae  fair  to  see ;  /      \ 

Says — "  If  ye  will  be  my  leman  sae  true,  | 

This  goodly  gift  I  will  you  gi'e."  ;       i 

7  "  Awa,  awa,  ye  ugly  witch,  I 

Haud  far  awa,  and  let  me  be;  ' 

For  I  wadna  ance  kiss  your  ugly  month, 
For  all  the  gifts  that  ye  cou'd  gi'e." 

8  She 's  tum'd  her  richt  and  round  about, 

And  thrice  she  blew  on  a  grass-green  horn; 

And  she  sware  by  the  moon  and  the  stars  aboon, 

That  she'd  gar  me  rue  the  day  I  was  born. 

9  Then  out  has  she  ta'en  a  silver  wand, 

And  she  tum'd  her  three  times  round  and  round ; 
She  mutter'd  sic  words,  that  my  strength  it  fail'd, 
And  I  fell  down  senseless  on  the  ground. 

10  She  turn'd  me  into  an  ugly  worm, 

And  gar'd  me  toddle  about  the  tree ; 
And  aye  on  ilka  Saturday  night, 
Auld  Alison  Gross  she  came  to  me, 

11  With  silver  basin,  and  silver  kame. 

To  kame  my  headie  upon  her  knee; 
But  rather  than  kiss  her  ugly  mouth, 
I'd  ha'e  toddled  for  ever  about  the  tree. 

12  But  as  it  fell  out  on  last  Hallow-e'en, 

When  the  seely  court  was  ridin'  by, 
The  queen  lighted  down  on  a  gowan  bank. 
Near  by  the  tree  where  I  wont  to  lye. 

13  She  took  me  up  in  her  milk-white  hand. 

And  she  straik'd  me  three  times  o'er  her  knee;    ' 
She  chang'd  me  again  to  my  ain  proper  shape, 
And  nae  mair  do  I  toddle  about  the  tree. 


KING  HENRIE. 


217 


KING  HENKIE. 

"This  piece,"  says  Mr.  Jamieson,  "prepared  for  the  press,  and  in 
the  exact  state  in  which  it  now  appears,  was  shown  by  the  editor  to 
Mr.  [afterwards  Sir  Walter]  Scott  of  Edinburgh,  long  before  the  publi- 
cation of  either  the  Tales  of  Wonder  (No.  57)  or  the  Minstrelsy  of  the 
Scottish  Border  (vol.  iii.);"  in  both  of  which  it  appeared  prior  to 
the  publication  of  Popular  Ballads,  &c.,  in  which  work  (voL  ii.,  p. 
194)  it  appears  in  a  form  slightly  different  from  the  text  of  Scott, 
and  with  the  addition  of  some  interpolated  lines  and  stanzas  of 
Jamieson's  own. 

The  present  text  is  collated  from  both  versions ;  but  Scott's,  which, 
as  he  informs  us,  was  "edited  from  the  MS.  of  Mrs.  Brown,  cor- 
rected by  a  recited  fragment,"  is  the  one  chiefly  followed. 

The  modernized  copy  appears  under  the  title  of  "  Courteous  King 
Jamie,"  in  Tales  of  Wonder,  vol.  iL,  p.  451. 

"The  legend,"  says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "will  remind  the  reader  of 
the  'Marriage  of  Sir  Gawain,'  in  the  Eeliques  of  Ancient  Poetry,  and 
of  '  The  Wife  of  Bath's  Tale,'  in  Fat^jer  Chaucer.  But  the  original, 
as  appears  from  Torfceus  [Hrolffi  Krahii  Hist.,  p.  49,  Hafn,  1715],  ia 
to  be  found  in  an  Icelandic  Saga." 

1     Let  never  man  a-wooing  wend, 
That  lacketh  thingis  thrie : 
A  rowth  of  gold,  an  open  heart, 
And  full  of  courtesie. 


And  this  was  seen  of  King  Henrie, 

For  he  lay  burd-alane; 
And  he  has  ta'en  him  to  a  jelly  hunt's  hall, 

Was  far  frae  ony  town. 

He  chased  the  dun  deer  thro'  the  wood, 

And  the  roe  down  by  the  den, 
Till  the  fattest  buck  in  all  the  herd 

King  Henrie  he  has  slain. 

He 's  ta'en  him  to  his  huntin'  hall, 

For  to  make  burly  cheer, 
When  loud  the  wind  was  heard  to  sound, 

And  an  earthquake  rock'd  the  floor. 

And  darkness  cover'd  all  the  hall 
Where  they  sat  at  their  meat; 

The  grey  dogs,  yowling,  left  their  food, 
And  crept  to  Henrie's  feet. 


218  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


6  And  louder  howl'd  the  rising  wind, 

And  burst  the  fast'ned  door; 

And  in  there  came  a  grisly  ghost, 

Stood  stamping  on  the  floor. 

7  Her  head  touch'd  the  roof-tree  of  the  house, 

Her  middle  ye  weel  mot  span; 
Each  frighted  huntsman  fled  the  hall, 
And  left  the  king  alane. 

8  Her  teeth  were  all  like  tether  stakes, 

Her  nose  like  club  or  mell; 
A  fitting  maik  she  seem'd  to  be 
To  the  fiend  that  wons  in  hell. 

9  "  Some  meat,  some  meat,  ye  King  Henrie, 

Some  meat  ye'll  gi'e  to  me! " 
"  And  what  meat's  in  this  house,  ladye, 
And  what  ha'e  I  to  gi'e? 

10  "  And  what  meat 's  in  this  house,  ladye, 

That  ye're  na  welcome  tee?"  * 
"  Oh,  ye'se  gae  kill  your  berry-brown  steod. 
And  serve  him  up  to  ine." 

11  Oh,  when  he  kill'd  his  berry-brown  steed, 

Wow,  but  his  heart  was  sair! 
She  ate  him  all  up,  flesh  and  bane, 
Left  naething  but  hid6  and  hair. 

12  "Mair  meat,  mair  meat,  ye  King  Henrie, 

Mair  meat  ye'll  gi'e  to  me!  " 
"  And  what  meat 's  in  this  house,  ladye. 
And  what  ha'e  I  to  gi'e? 

13  "  And  what  meat 's  iii  this  house,  ladye, 

That  ye're  na  welcome  tee?" 
"  Oh,  ye'se  gae  slay  your  gude  greyhounds, 
And  bring  them  all  to  me." 

14  Oh,  when  he  slew  his  gude  greyhounds, 

Wow,  but  his  heart  was  sair ! 
She 's  eaten  them  all  up,  ane  by  ane, 
Left  naething  but  hide  and  hair. 

15  "Mair  meat,  mair  meat,  ye  King  Henrie, 

Mair  meat  ye'll  gi'e  to  me!  " 
"  And  what  meat 's  in  this  house,  ladye. 
That  I  ha'e  left  to  gi'e? 

•  "Tee,"  for  "  to,"  is  the  Bachan  and  O-allovidiau  proaimoiatloa. 


KING  HENRIE.  219 


16  "And  what  meat's  in  this  house,  ladye, 

That  ye're  na  welcome  tee?  " 
"  Oh,  ye'se  gae  kill  your  gay  gos-hawks. 
And  bring  them  all  to  me." 

17  Oh,  when  he  kill'd  his  gay  gos-hawks, 

Wow,  but  his  heart  was  sair! 
She  ate  them  all  up,  skin  and  bane, 
Left  naething  but  feathers  bare. 

18  "  Some  drink,  some  drink  now.  King  Henrie, 

Some  drink  ye'U  gi'e  to  me!" 
"  And  what  drink 's  in  this  house,  ladye, 
And  what  ha'e  I  to  gi'e? 

19  "  And  what  drink 's  in  this  house,  ladye, 

That  ye're  na  welcome  tee?" 
"  Oh,  ye'se  sew  up  your  horse's  hide, 
And  bring  in  a  drink  to  me." 

20  Oh,  he  has  sew'd  up  the  bluidy  hide, 

And  a  pipe  of  wine  put  in; 
She  drank  it  all  up  at  ae  draught. 
And  left  na  a  drap  ahin'. 

21  "  A  bed,  a  bed,  ye  King  Henrie, 

A  bed  ye'll  make  to  me!" 
"  And  what  bed 's  in  this  house,  ladye, 
And  what  ha'e  I  to  gi'e  ? 

22  "  And  what  bed 's  in  this  house,  ladye, 

That  ye're  na  welcome  tee?" 
"  Oh,  ye  maun  pu'  the  green  heather, 
And  make  a  bed  to  me." 

23  Oh,  pu'd  has  he  the  green  heather, 

And  made  to  her  a  bed; 
And  up  he  has  ta'en  his  gay  mantle. 
And  o'er  it  he  has  spread. 

24  "  Now  swear,  now  swear,  ye  King  Henrie, 

To  take  me  for  your  bride!" 
"  Oh,  God  forbid,"  King  Henrie  said, 

"That  e'er  the  like  betide! 
That  e'er  the  fiend  that  wons  in  hell 

Shou'd  streek  down  by  my  side." 


220  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


25  When  night  was  gane  and  day  was  come, 

And  the  sun  shone  thro'  the  hall, 
The  fairest  lady  that  e'er  was  seen 
Lay  atween  him  and  the  wall. 

26  " Oh,  weel  is  me!"  King  Henrie  said, 

" How  lang  will  this  last  with  me?" 
And  out  and  spake  that  ladye  fair, — 
"  E'en  till  the  day  ye  dee. 

27  "  For  I  was  witch'd  to  a  ghastly  shape, 

All  by  my  stepdame's  skill, 
Till  I  shou'd  meet  with  a  courteous  knight, 
Wou'd  gi'e  me  all  my  will." 


KEMPy  KAYB. 
Two  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared: — 

I.  In  A  Ballad  Book,  p.  81.     Edinburgh,  1823.     [Edited  by 
C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.] 
II.  In  The  Ballad  Book.    Edinburgh,  1827.    [Edited  by  George 
Ritchie  Kinloch.] 

The  text  as  here  printed  is  collated  fropi  both  versions. 

The  music  "  of  this  ludicrous  and  extravagant  ballad "  is  given  by 
Motherwell,  in  his  Minstrelsy.  He  says,  that  "it  affords  a  prettj' 
ample  specimen  of  the  description  of  melody  to  which  a  great  number 
of  the  traditionary  ballads  of  Scotland  are  still  chaunted  by  the 
l)eople." — Appendix,  p.  xxiv. 

Mr.  Motherwell  also  states  that  "  Kemp  Owyne,"  ante.,  p.  21,  is 
sung  to  a  similar  air. 

C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  supposed  the  ballad  to  be  of  Scandinavian 
origin ;  a  theory  which  may  be  questioned,  although  similar  Danish 
ballads  do  exist,  as,  for  instance,  "  Sir  Guncelin,"  translated  by 
Jamieson,  in  Illustrations  of  Nortliern  Antiquities,  p.  310,  and  "  Thor 
and  the  Ogre,''  in  Old  Danish  Ballads,  translated  from  Grimni's  Collec- 
tion, p.  79. 

Both  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Kinloch,  suppose  the  name  to  be 
derived  from  Sir  Kaye,  of  King  Arthur's  "  Round  Table."  And  the 
former  remarks,  that  "  the  description  of  Bengoleer's  daughter  re- 
sembles that  of  the  enchanted  damsel  who  appeared  to  courteous 
King  Henrie."     (See  previous  ballad.) 

1     Kempt  Kaye  is  a-wooing  gane, 
Far,  far  ayont  the  sea, 
And  there  he  met  with  Bengoleer, 
His  gudefather  to  be. 


KEMPT  KATE.  221 


"  Whar  are  ye  gaun,  O  Kempy  Kaye, 
Whar  are  ye  gaun  sae  sune?" 

"  Oh,  I  am  gaun  to  court  a  wife, 
And  thinkna  ye  that's  weel  dune?" 

"  If  ye  be  gaun  to  court  a  wife, 

As  ye  do' tell  to  me, 
'Tis  ye  shall  ha'e  my  Fusome  Fug, 

Your  ae  wife  for  to  be." 


4  "  Gae  scrape  yersel',  my  Fusome  Fug, 

And  mak'  your  broukit  face  clean ; 
For  the  brawest  wooer  that  e'er  ye  saw, 
Is  come  develling  down  the  green." 

5  Up  then  raise  the  Fusome  Fug, 

To  mak'  her  broukit  face  clean; 
And  aye  she  tiursed  her  mither,  that 
She  had  nae  water  in. 

G     She  rampit  out,  and  she  rampit  in^ 
She  rampit  but  and  ben ; 
The  tattles  that  hung  frae  her  tail 
Wou'd  muck'd  an  acre  of  Ian'. 

7  Sae  she  scrapit  her,  and  scartit  her. 

Like  the  face  of  an  assy  pan  ; 
And  I  wot  she  look'd  the  strangest  maid 
That  e'er  the  sun  shone  on. 

8  She  had  a  neis  upon  her  face 

Was  like  an  auld  pat  fit ; 
Atween  her  neis  bot  and  her  mou' 
Was  inch  thick  deep  of  dirt. 

9  She  had  twa  een  intil  her  head, 

Ilk  like  a  rotten  ploom: 
Her  heavy  brows  hung  o  er  her  face, 
And  sairly  she  did  gloom. 

10  She  had  lauchty  teeth,  and  kaily  lips, 

And  wide  lugs  full  of  hair; 
Her  pouches,  full  of  pease-meal  daigh, 
Were  hanging  down  her  spare. 

11  When  Kempy  Kaye  cam'  to  the  house, 

He  keekit  through  a  hole. 
And  there  he  saw  the  dirty  drab 
Just  whisking  ower  the  coal. 


222  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


12  Then  in  cam'  Kempy  Kaye  himser, 

A  clever  and  tall  young  man  ; 
Between  his  shoulders  were  ells  three, 
Between  his  een  a  span. 

13  Ilka  nail  upon  his  hand 

Was  like  an  iron  rake, 
And  ilka  teeth  into  his  head 
Was  like  a  tether  stake. 

14  "  I'm  come  to  court  your  dochter  dear, 

And  some  pairt  of  your  gear :" 
"  And  by  my  sooth,"  quo'  Bengolee'-, 
"  She'll  sair  a  man  o'  weir. 

15  "My  dochter  she 's  a  thrifty  lass; 

She  span  seven  year  to  me ; 

And  if  it  were  weel  counted  up, 

Full  ten  wobs  it  would  be." 

16  He  led  his  dochter  by  the  hand, 

His  dochter  ben  brought  he ; 
"Oh,  is  she  not  the  fairest  lass 
That's  in  great  Chriatendie?" 

17  Her  wooer  ga'e  her  a  fine  napkin, 

Made  o'  an  auld  horse-brat; 
"  I  ne'er  wore  sic  in  a'  my  life, 
But  I  warrant  I'se  wear  that." 

18  He  ga'e  to  her  a  braw  gowd  ring,  j 

Made  frae  an  auld  brass  pat; 
"  I  ne'er  wore  a  gowd  ring  a'  my  life, 
But  I  warrant  I'se  wear  that." 


COSPATRICK,  r 

i' 
Tn  a  note  referring  to  "Bothwell,"  as  contained  in  Herd's  Scottish 
Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  83,  Mr.  Motherwell  says: — "This  is  a  very  jiopular 
ballad,  and  is  known  to  reciters  under  a  variety  of  names.  I  have  heard 
it  called  'Lord  Bang  well,'  'Bengwill,'  'Dingwell,'  'Brengwell,'  and 
'  The  Seven  Sisters  ;  or,  The  Leaves  of  Lind.'  In  the  Border  Minstrehy, 
vol.  iii,  p.  72,  fifth  edition  (and  p.  263,  last  edition),  is  a  version  entitled 
'  Corspatrick. '  The  same  authority  mentions  that  a  copy  in  Mrs. 
Brown  of  Falkland's  MS.  is  styled  'Child  Brenton '  (or,  as  Mr.  Jamieson 
names  it,  '  Gil  Brenton ').  In  a  book  misnamed  Remains  of  GaUowan 
and  Nithsdale  Song,  it  is  titled,  '  We  were  Sisters,  We  were  Seven. '  It 
is  amusing  to  see  this  motley  version  challenging  that  in  the  Border 


COSPATRICK.  223 


Minstrelsy,  as  being  interspersed  with  modem  patches,  and  claiming 
for  itself  the  merit  of  being  a  pure  and  unalloyed  traditionary  copy. 
Unparalleled  impudence !" 

Another  version  was  published  by  Mr.  Buchan  in  Ancient  Ballads, 
&c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  204,  under  the  title  of  "  Lord  Dingwall;"  and  "Mr. 
Jamieson  has  translated,"  says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "a  Danish  ballad, 
'Ingefred  and  Gudrxxue '' {Norther7i  Antiquities,  p.  340),  wherem  he 
points  out  the  striking  resemblance  it  bears  to  the  present  one." — 
Minstrelsy,  Ancient  and  Modern,  Introduction,  p.  Ixix.,  note  21. 
Another  translation  of  the  same  appears  in  Old  Danish  Ballads,  &c., 
(p.  146),  under  the  title  of  "  The  Gossiping  Nightingales." 

In  this  Danish  ballad,  the  bride's  sister  becomes  her  substitute, 
but  in  one  or  more  of  the  other  Scandinavian  versions,  as  in  the 
Scotish,  the  maid-servant  takes  her  place. 

"This  idea,"  says  Professor  Child,  "was  perhaps  derived  from 
Tristan  and  Isold.  See  Scott's  Sir  Tristrem,  voL  ii.,  pp.  54,  55." — 
English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  L,  p.  152. 

The  text  of  the  ballad,  as  here  printed,  is  chiefly  taken  from  Sir 
Walter  Scott's,  who  informs  us,  that  "  some  stanzas  were  transferred 
by  him  from  Herd's  copy, "  while  the  remainder  was  ' '  taken  down 
from  the  recitation  of  a  lady,  nearly  related  to  the  Editor."  Some 
readings  "  were  also  adopted "  by  him  from  the  copy  in  Mrs. 
Brown's  MS.,  as  previously  referred  to.  "  Cospatrick  (Comes  Pat- 
ricius)  was  the  designation  of  the  Earl  of  Punbar,  in  the  days  of 
Wallace  and  Bruce. " 

The  inconsistent  conduct  of  Cospatrick,  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  ultimately  stood  self-convicted,  as  related  in  the  ballad,  may  be 
profitably  compared  with  similar  incidents  in  the  life  of  the  patriarch 
Judah,  as  narrated  in  Genesis  xxxviii. 

It  is  surely  much  to  be  regretted,  that  in  this  nineteenth  century, 
after  our  Lord's  advent,  and  among  nominally  Christian  communities, 
that  matters  in  this  respect  appear  to  have  scarcely,  if  at  all,  pro- 
gressed since  the  days  of  this  early  patriarch  and  zealous  conservator 
of  female  purity ;  as  it  is  quite  notorious  that  fashion,  and  her  male 
and  female  votaries,  still  practically  maintain  one  code  of  morality  for 
man,  and  quite  another  for  his  help-meet,  or  gentler  sister  woman. 

Alas  for  our  vaunted  Christianity  and  Chivalry  \  What  are  they, 
and  where  are  they  ? 

1  Cospatrick  has  sent  o'er  the  faem; 
Cospatrick  brought  his  ladye  hame; 
And  fourscore  ships  have  come  her  wi', 
The  lady  by  the  greenwood  tree. 

2  There  were  twal'  and  twal'  with  baken  bread, 
And  twal'  and  twal'  with  gowd  sae  red; 
And  twal'  and  twal'  with  bouted  flour, 
And  twal'  and  twal'  with  the  paramour. 


224  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


3  Sweet  Willie  was  a  widow's  son, 
And  at  her  stirrup  he  did  run ; 
And  she  was  clad  in  the  finest  pall, 
But  aye  she  let  the  tears  down  fall, 

4  "  Oh,  is  your  saddle  set  awry? 

Or  rides  your  steed  for  you  ower  high? 
Or  are  you  mourning  in  your  tide. 
That  you  shou'd  be  Cospatrick's  bride  ?  " 

5  "I  am  not  mourning  at  this  tide, 
That  I  shou'd  be  Cospatrick's  bride; 
But  I  am  sorrowing  in  my  mood, 
That  I  shou'd  leave  my  mother  good. 

6  "  But,  gentle  boy,  conle  tell  to  me, 
What  is  the  custom  of  thy  countrie?" 

"  The  custom  thereof,  my  dame,"  he  say8, 
"  Will  ill  a  gentle  ladye  please. 

7  "  Seven  king's  daughters  ha^  our  lord  wedded, 
And  seven  king's  daughters  has  our  lord  bedded; 
But  he 's  ciitted  their  breasts  frae  their  breast-bane, 
And  sent  them  mourning  hame  again. 

8  "  Yet,  if  you're  sure  that  you're  a  maid, 
Ye  may  gae  safely  to  his  bed; 

But  if  of  that  ye  be  na  sure. 

Then  hire  some  dahisel  of  your  bow'r." 

9  The  ladye 's  call'd  her  bow'r  maiden. 
That  waiting  was  into  her  train; 

"  Five  thousand  irierks  I'll  gi'e  to  thfie, 
To  sleep  this  night  with  my  lord  for  rtie." 

10  When  bells  were  rung  and  mass  was  sayn, 
And  all  men  unto  bed  were  gane, 
Cospatrick  and  the  bonnie  maid 

Into  a  chamber  they  were  laid. 

11  "  Now  speak,  thou  blankets,  and  speak,  thou  bed, 
And  speak,  thou  sheet,  enchanted  web; 

And  speak,  my  brown  sword,  that  winna  lee, 
Is  this  a  true  maiden  that  lies  by  me?" 

12  "It  is  not  a  maid  that  you  ha'e  wedded, 
But  it  is  a  maid  that  you  ha'e  bedded; 
It  is  a  leal  maiden  that  lies  by  thee. 
But  not  the  maiden  that  it  should  be." 


COSPATRTCK.  225 


13  Oh,  wrathfully  he  left  the  bed, 
And  wrathfully  his  claes  on  did; 

And  he  has  ta'en  him  through  the  hall, 
And  on  his  mother  he  did  call. 

14  "  I  am  the  most  unhappy  man 
That  ever  wa's  in  Christen  land! 

I  courted  a  maiden  meek  and  mild, 
And  I  find  it  is  a  woman  with  child." 

15  "  Oh,  stay,  my  son,  into  this  hall. 
And  sport  ye  with  your  merry  men  all; 
And  I  will  to  her  secret  bow'r, 

To  see  how  it  fares  with  your  paramour." 

16  His  mother  's  hied  her  up  to  the  tow'r, 
And  lock'd  her  in  the  secret  bow'r; 

"  Now,  daughter  mine,  come  tell  to  me^ 
Wha's  bairn  this  is  that  you  are  wi'?" 

17  "  Oh,  mother  dear,  I  canna  learn 
Wha  is  the  father  of  my  bairn ; 
But  hear  me,  mother,  on  my  knee, 
Till  my  sad  tale  I  tell  to  thee. 

18  "  Oh,  we  were  sisters,  sisters  sevenj 
The  fairest  women  under  heaven ; 
And  we  keist  kevels*  us  amang, 
Wha  wou'd  to  the  greenwood  gang, 

19  "  There,  for  to  pull  the  finest  flow'rsj 
To  put  around  our  simmer  bow'rs. 
To  pull  the  red  rose  and  the  thyme, 
To  deck  my  mother's  bow'r  and  mine; 

20  "  I  was  the  youngest  of  them  all ; 
The  heavy  weird  did  me  befall; 
Sae  to  the  greenwood  I  did  gang. 
And  there  I  dree'd  this  cruel  wrang. 

21  "  For  I  had  scarce  puU'd  flower  but  ane. 
There  in  the  greenwood  all  alane. 

Till  ane,  wha  a  king's  son  seem'd  to  be, 
Came  through  the  wood  and  accosted  me. 

22  "  He  wore  high-coll'd  hose  and  laigh-coll'd  shoon, 
And  he  kept  me  there  till  the  day  was  dune, — 
Till  the  sun  had  sunk  low  in  the  west. 

And  ilka  wee  bird  gane  to  its  nest. 

•  "  Keist  kevel8 : "  cast  lota. 


226  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


23  "  He  ga'e  me  a  lock  of  his  yellow  hair, 
And  bade  me  keep  it  for  evermair; 

He  ga'e  me  a  carkuet  *  of  bonnie  beads, 
And  bade  me  keep  it  against  my  needs. 

24  "  He  ga'e  to  me  a  gay  gold  ring, 
And  bade  me  keep  it  abune  all  thing." 
"  What  did  ye  with  the  tokens  rare, 
That  ye  gat  frae  that  gallant  there  ?  " 

25  "  Oh,  bring  that  coffer  unto  me, 
And  all  the  tokens  ye  shall  see." 

"  Now  stay,  daughter,  your  bow'r  within, 
While  I  gae  parley  with  my  son." 

26  Oh,  she  has  ta'en  her  through  the  hall, 
And  op  her  son  began  to  call : 

"  What  did  ye  with  the  bonnie  beads 
I  bade  ye  keep  against  your  needs  ? 

27  "What  did  you  with  the  gay  gold  ring 
I  bade  you  keep  abune  all  thing  ? " 

"  I  ga'e  them  to  a  ladye  gay, 
I  met  in  greenwood  on  a  day. 

28  "  I  wou'd  gi'e  all  my  halls  and  tow'rs, 
I  had  that  ladye  within  my  bow'rs; 
And  I  wou'd  gi'e  my  very  life, 

I  had  that  ladye  to  be  my  wife." 

29  "  Now  keep,  my  son,  your  halls  and  tow'rs. 
Ye  have  that  bright  burd  in  your  bow'rs ; 
And  keep,  my  son,  your  ain  dear  life. 

Ye  have  that  ladye  for  your  dear  wife." 

30  Now,  or  a  month  was  come  and  gane, 
The  ladye  she  bare  a  bonnie  son; 

And  'twas  weel- written  on  his  breast-bane, 
"  Cospatrick  is  my  father's  name." 
Oh,  row  my  lady  in  satin  and  silk. 
And  wash  my  son  in  the  morning  milk, 

•  "  Carknet : "  a  necklace.    Thus  :— 

"  She  threw  away  her  rings  and  carknet  cleen." 

— Harrison's  translation  of  Orlcmdo  Furioso.    Notes  on  book  37th. 


BOTHWELL.  227 


BOTHWELL. 

As  stated  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Herd's  copy  is  "  materially  different 
from  that"  given  by  him  under  the  title  of  "Cospatrick."  The 
differences  chiefly  occur  in  the  opening  stanzas  of  Herd's,  which 
here  follow.    But  in  place  of  Herd's  refrain  of 

"  Hey  down,  and  adown," 

which   is   "repeated  at  the  end  of  each  line,"  the  refrain  from 
Buchan's  version  is  here  substituted. 

1  As  Bothwell  was  walking  in  the  lawlands  alane — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 
He  met  six  ladies  sae  gallant  and  fine — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

2  He  cast  his  lot  amang  them  all — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
And  on  the  youngest  his  lot  did  fall—; 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

3  He 's  brought  her  frae  her  mother's  bow'r — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 

Unto  his  castle's  strongest  tow'r — 

And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

4  But  aye  she  cried,  and  made  great  moan — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down ; 
And  aye  the  tear  came  trickling  down — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

6    "  Come  up,  come  up,"  said  the  foremost  man — 
Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
"  I  think  our  bride  comes  slowly  on — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

6  "  Oh,  lady,  sits  your  saddle  awry? 
Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 

Or  is  your  steed  for  you  ower  high? 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 

7  "  My  saddle  is  not  set  awry — 
Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 

Nor  carries  me  my  steed  ower  high — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

8  "  But  I  am  weary  of  my  life — 
Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 

Since  I  maun  be  Lord  Bothwell's  wife — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 


228  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     He 's  blawn  his  horn  sae  sharp  and  shrill — 
Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
Up  start  the  deer  on  every  hill — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

10  He  's  blawn  his  horn  sae  lang  and  loud — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
Up  start  the  deer  in  glide  greenwood — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

11  His  mother  look'd  o'er  the  castle  wall — ■ 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 
And  she  saw  them  riding  ane  and  all — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

12  She  's  call'd  upon  her  maids  by  seven — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down. 
To  make  his  bed  baith  saft  and  even — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

13  She 's  call'd  upon  her  cooks  by  nine — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 
To  make  their  dinner  fair  and  fine— 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 

14  When  day  was  gane  and  night  was  come — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
"  What  ails  my  love  on  me  to  frown? 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

15  "  Or  does  the  wind  blow  in  your  glove? 

Bowing  down,  bowing  ddwn ; 
Or  runs  your  mind  on  another  love? 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 

16  "  Nor  blows  the  wind  within  my  glove- 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down; 
Nor  runs  my  mind  on  another  love — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing. 

17  "  But  I  not  maid  nor  maiden  am — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down, 
For  I'm  with  bairn  to  another  man — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 

18  "  I  thought  I'd  a  maid  sae  meek  and  mild — 

Bowing  down,  bowing  down. 
But  I  have  nought  but  a  woman  with  child — 
And  aye  the  birks  a'  bowing." 
For  the  remainder  of  the  story,  see  the  previous  ballad — "  Cos- 
patrick,"  stanzas  15  and  after. 


THE  BROOMFIELD   HILL. 


229 


THE  BROOMFIELD  HILL. 

"  A  more  sanguine  antiquary  than  the  editor,"  writes  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  "  might  perhaps  endeavour  to  identify  this  poem,  which  is  of  un- 
doubted antiquity,  with  the  '  Broom,  Broom  on  Hill,'  mentioned  by 
Lane  in  his  Progress'  of  Queen  Elizabeth  into  Warwickshire,  as 
forming  part  of  Captain  Cox's  collection,  so  much  envied  by  the 
black-letter  antiquaries  of  the  present  day. — Dugdale's  Warwickshire, 
p.  166.  The  same  ballad  is  quoted  by  one  of  the  personages,  in  a 
'  very  merry  and  py  thie  comedie, '  called  '  The  Longer  thou  Li  vest,  the 
more  Fool  thou  Art.'  See  Eitson's  Dissertation  prefixed  to  Ancient 
Songs,  p.  Ix.  '  Brume,  Brume  on  Hill '  is  also  mentioned  in  The 
Complaynt  of  Scotland.  See  Leyden's  edition,  p.  100." — Minstrelsy, 
vol.  iii,  p.  28. 

A  fragment  of  this  ballad  was  printed  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol. 
L,  p.  168,  under  the  title  of  "I'll  Wager,  I'll  Wager;"  complete 
versions  were  afterwards  given  by  Kinloch,  in  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads, 
p.  195,  under  the  title  of  "Lord  John;"  by  Scott,  in  Minstrelsy, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  28,  under  the  above  title  ;  and  by  Buchan,  in  Ancient 
Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  291,  under  the  title  of  "  Broomtield  Hills." 

The  last-named  is  decidedly  the  best  version,  and  is  the  one  here 
generally  followed,  but  with  additions  and  emendations  from  the 
others.  Sfcanxa  11  is  inserted  in  order  to  avoid  the  repetition,  in  a 
slightly  varied  form,  of  stanzas  7  to  10  inclusive. 

"  A  Danish  ballad  exhibits  the  same  theme»  though  differently 
treated:  'Sovnerunerne,'  Grundtvig,  No.  81."  There  is  also  "a 
modernized  English  one  of  no  value  ('The  West  Country  Wager')  in 
Ancient  Poems,  &c.  Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  116." — Professor 
Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  voL  i.,  p.  131. 

Kindred  ballads  are — "The  Baffled  Knight,"  Percy's  PeUgues ; 
"Too  Courteous  Knight,"  Ritson's  Ancient  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  54  ;  and 
"  D'Urfey's  Pills,"  &c.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  37  ;  "  The  Shepherd's  Son,"  Herd, 
voL  iL,  p.  267  ;  "Jock  Sheep,"  Kinloch's  ^a^fad  Book,  p.  17  ;  "The 
Abashed  Knight,"  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  131 ;  "Blow 
the  Winds,  Heigh  Ho  ! "  Ancient  Poems,  &c.  Percy  Society,  voL  xviL, 
p.  123. 

1  There  was  a  knight,  and  a  lady  bright, 
Set  a  tryst  among  the  broom; 

The  one  went  there  in  the  morning  aer, 
The  other  in  the  afternoon. 

2  "  I'll  wager,  I'll  wager  with  you,"  he  said, 
"  Five  hundred  merks  and  ten, 

That  ye  shall  not  gang  to  yon  Broomfield  hill, 
And  a  maid  return  again." 

3  "  I'll  wager,  I'll  wager  with  you,"  she  said, 
"  Five  hundred  marks  and  ten, 

That  I  shall  gang  to  yon  Broomfield  hill, 
And  a  maid  return  again." 


230  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


4  The  lady  stands  in  her  bow'r  door, 

And  thus  she  made  her  mane, — 
*'  Oh,  shall  I  gang  to  the  Broomfield  hill, 
Or  shall  I  stay  at  hame  ? 

5  "  If  I  do  gang  to  the  Broomfield  hill, 

A  maid  I'll  not  return  ; 
And  if  I  stay  frae  the  Broomfield  hill, 
I'll  be  a  maid  mis-sworn." 

6  It's  up  then  spake  an  auld  witch-wife, 

Sat  in  the  bow'r  aboon, — 
*'  Oh,  ye  shall  gang  to  Broomfield  hill, 
And  yet  come  maiden  hame. 

7  "  When  ye  gang  to  the  Broomfield  hill, 

Walk  nine  times  round  and  round; 
And  there,  down  by  the  bonnie  bum  bank, 
Your  love  will  sleep  full  sound. 

8  "  Ye'll  pull  the  bloorii  frae  off  the  broom, 

The  bloom  that  smells  sae  sweet, 
And  strew  it  at  your  lover's  h6Jad, 

And  likewise  at  his  feet; 
And  aye  the  thicker  that  ye  strew, 

The  sounder  he  will  sleep. 

9  "The  rings  that  are  on  your  fingers, 

Put  them  on  his  right  hand, 
To  let  him  know,  when  he  does  wake, 
Ye  was  at  his  command. 

10  "  The  brooch  that  is  on  yottr  napkin. 

Put  it  on  his  breast-bane, 
That  he  may  know,  when  he  does  wake, 
His  love  has  come  and  gane." 

11  The  lady  gaed  to  the  Broomfield  hill, 

Did  as  the  witch-wife  bade, 
And  hied  her  back  to  her  bow'r  again, 
A  maid,  as  forth  she  gaed. 

12  The  knight  he  waken'd  frae  his  sleep. 

And  he  saw,  to  his  pain, 
By  all  the  tokens  she  had  left, 
His  love  had  come  and  gane. 

13  "Oh,  where  were  ye,  my  gude  greyhound. 

That  I  paid  for  sae  dear. 
Ye  didna  waken  me  frae  my  sleep. 
When  my  true  love  was  near  ?  " 


THE  BROOMFIELD  HILL.  231 


14  "  I  stroked  ye  with  my  foot,  master, 

While  thus  I  whining  sang,-^ 

*  Oh,  waken,  waken,  dear  masten 

Before  your  love  does  gang.'" 

15  "  Oh,  where  were  ye,  my  milk-white  steed, 

That  I  ha'e'coft  sae  dearj 
That  ye  did  not  watch  and  waken  mej 
When  there  came  maiden  here?'' 

16  "  I  stampit  with  my  foot,  master. 

Until  my  bridle  rang; 
And  aye  neigh'd, — 'Waken,  dear  master^ 
Before  the  maiden  gang.' " 

17  "  Then  wae  betide  ye,  toy  gay  gos-hawkj 

That  I  did  love  so  dear. 
That  ye  did  not  watch  and  waken  me, 
When  my  love  was  sae  near." 

18  "  I  flappit  with  my  wings,  master. 

And  aye  my  bells  I  rang ; 
And  aye  sang,—'  Waken,  gude  master, 
Before  the  ladye  gang.'" 

19  "  Oh,  where  were  ye,  my  merry  yoiing  mauj 

That  I  pay  meet  and  fee. 
That  ye  did  not  waken  me  frae  my  sleep, 
When  my  love  ye  did  see  ?  " 

20  "Go  sooner  to  your  bed  at  e'en, 

And  keep  awake  by  day. 
When  ye  go  down  to  Broomfield  hillj 
In  hope  sic  pranks  to  play. 

21  "  For  had  I  seen  an  armed  man 

Go  riding  o'er  the  hill, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  stay'd  him  in  his  course 

Until  I  kenn'd  your  will ; 
But  I  only  saw  a  fair  ladye 

Gang  quietly  you  Until. 

22  "  When  she  gaed  out,  right  bitter  she  weptj 

But  singing  came  she  hame, — 
'  Oh,  I  ha'e  been  at  Broomfield  hill. 
And  maid  retum'd  again.' " 

23  "  But  haste,  and  haste,  my  gude  white  steed. 

To  come  the  maiden  till. 
Or  all  the  birds  of  gude  greenwood 
Of  your  flesh  shall  have  their  fill." 


232  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


24     "  Ye  needna  burst  your  gude  white  steed, 
With  racing  o'er  the  howm  ; 
Nae  bird  flies  faster  through  the  wood 
Than  she  fled  through  the  broom." 


EAKL  KICHARD. 


"  The  locality  of  this  ballad — Barnisdale — will  bring  to  the  remem- 
brance of  the  reader,"  says  Motherwell,  "tales  of  Robin  Hood  and 
Little  John,  who,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Andrew  of  Wyntown, 

'In  Tngilwode  and  Barnysdale, 
Their  oysed  all  this  tyme  thare  travaile.' 

Whether  the  ballad  is  originally  the  production  of  an  English  or  of  a 
Scotch  minstrel,  admits  of  question ;  certain,  however,  it  is,  that  it 
has  been  received  into  both  countries  at  a  pretty  early  period. 
Hearne,  in  his  preface  to  Gul.  Neubrigiensis  Hitoria,  Oxon.,  1719, 
vol.  i.,  p.  Ixx.,  mentions  that  '  The  Knight  and  Shepherd's  Daughter' 
was  well  known  in  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  In  Fletcher's 
'Pilgrim,'  act  iv.,  scene  2,  a  stanza  of  the  same  ballad  is  quoted. 
The  English  version  of  this  ballad  is  given  in  the  Heliques  of  Enrjlish 
Poetry,  vol.  iii.  Thei'e  are  various  copies  of  it  current  in  Scotland ;" 
as,  for  instance,  "Earl  Richard,"  first  published  by  Mr.  Motherwell, 
in  his  Minstrelsy,  p.  377,  and  afterwards  by  Mr.  Buchan,  from 
whom  Mr.  Motherwell  had  received  it ;  in  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  81  (see  ante,  p.  22).  Another  and  diiferent  version,  also  from 
recitation,  followed  it  in  the  same  work  and  volume  (p.  91),  under 
the  title  of  "  Earl  Lithgow;"  but  previous  to  the  appearance  of  the 
last-named  work  and  version,  two  other  printed  versions  were  given 
by  Mr.  Kinloch,  in  his  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  under  the  respec- 
tive titles  of  "  Earl  Richard,"  p.  13,  and  "  The  Shepherd's  Daughter," 
p.  25.  The  present  version  has  been  collated  from  the  Scotish  ver- 
sions here  referred  to,  but  chiefly  from  the  two  furnished  by  Mr. 
Buchan.  Stanzas  1  to  12  are  peculiar  to  the  lirst-named  Scotish 
version,  and  are  here  printed  all  but  verbatim.  Mr.  Motherwell, 
referring  to  it,  affirms  that  it  "is  out  of  sight  the  most  circumstan- 
tial and  elaborated  that  has  yet  been  printed,  [that]  it  possesses  no 
small  portion  of  humour,  and  [that]  it  appears  to  be  of  greater  anti- 
quity than  the  copy  imblished  in  the  Beliques." 

"  The  artifices,"  says  Kinloch,  "  which  the  lady  practises  to  main- 
tain the  character  of  a  'beggar's  brat,'  and  the  lively  description 
which  she  gives  of  the  '  gentle  craft, '  are  kept  up  with  great  spirit  and 
fancy.  The  EngUsh  copy,  which  is  decidedly  inferior  both  in  poeti- 
cal composition  and  archness  of  humour,  is  entirely  destitute  of  this 
part,  even  in  allusion."  Professor  Child  also  states  it  as  his  opinion 
that  the  "  Scottish  versions  "  are  "  superior  to  the  English  in  every 
respect." 

1     Earl  Richard  once  upon  a  day, 

And  all  his  valiant  men  so  wight. 
He  hied  him  down  to  Barnisdale, 
Where  aU  the  land  is  fair  and  light. 


EARL  RICHARD.  233 


2  And  there  he  met  with  a  damosel, 

I  wot  fast  on  she  did  her  bound, 
With  tow'rs  of  gold  upon  her  head, 
As  fair  a  woman  as  cou'd  be  found. 

3  He  said — "  Busk  you,  busk  you !  fair  ladye, 

With  the  wliite  flowers  and  the  red ; 
And  I  wou'd  give  my  bonnie  ship, 
If  I  your  love  and  favour  had." 

4  "I  wish  your  ship  might  rent  and  rive. 

And  drown  you  in  the  sea  ; 
For  all  this  wou'd  not  mend  the  miss 

That  you  wou'd  do  to  me." 
"  The  miss  is  not  so  great,  ladye — 

Soon  mended  it  might  be. 

5  "  In  Scotland  I've  four-and-twenty  mills, 

Stand  on  the  water  Tay  : 
You'll  have  them,  and  as  much  good  flour 
As  they'll  grind  in  a  day." 

6  "I  wish  your  bonnie  ship,  rent  and  rive, 

And  drown  you  in  the  sea ; 
For  all  that  wou'd  not  mend  the  misg 

That  you  wou'd  do  to  me." 
"  The  miss  is  not  so  great,  ladye — 

Soon  mended  it  might  be. 

7  "I  have  four-and-twenty  milk-white  cows. 

Were  all  calved  in  one  day : 
You'll  have  them,  and  as  much  hain'd  grass 
As  they  all  on  can  gae." 

8  "I  wish  your  bonnie  ship  rent  and  rive, 

And  drown  you  in  the  sea; 
For  all  that  wou'd  not  mend  the  miss 

That  you  wou'd  do  to  me." 
"  The  miss  is  not  so  great,  ladye — 

Soon  mended  it  might  be. 

9  "I  have  four-and-twenty  milk-white  steeds. 

Were  all  foal'd  in  one  year: 
You'll  have  them,  and  as  much  red  gold 
As  all  their  backs  can  bear," 

10     She  turn'd  her  right  and  round  about. 
And  she  swore  by  the  mold ; 
"  I  would  not  be  your  love,"  said  she, 
"  For  that  chmch  full  of  gold." 


234  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


11  He  turn'd  him  right  and  round  about, 

And  he  swore  by  the  mass ; 
Says — "  Ladye,  ye  my  love  shall  be, 
And  gold  ye  shall  have  less." 

12  She  tum'd  her  right  and  round  about, 

And  she  swore  by  the  moon ; 
"  I  would  not  be  your  love,"  says  she, 
"  For  all  the  gold  in  Kome." 

13  He  turn'd  him  right  and  round  about, 

And  he  swore  by  the  moon; 
Says — "  Ladye,  ye  iriy  love  shall  be. 
And  gold  ye  shall  hav6  hone." 

14  He  caught  her  by  the  milk-white  haild, 

The  gude  greenwood  araang; 
And  for  all  that  she  cou'd  say  or  do. 
He  did  her  sairly  wrang. 

15  The  ladye  frown'd  and  sadly  blush'dj 

And  oh!  but  she  thought  shame; 
Says — "  If  you  are  a  knight  at  all. 
You'll  surely  tell  your  name." 

16  "  In  some  places  they  call  me  Jack, 

In  others  they  call  me  John; 
But  when  I  am  in  the  queen's  court, 
Then  Lithcock  is  my  name." 

17  "  Lithcock!  Lithcock!  "  the  ladye  said, 

And  spelt  it  o'er  again; 
"  Lithcock  is  Latin,"  the  ladye  said, 
"  But  Richard 's  your  English  name." 

18  Then  he  has  mounted  on  his  horse, 

And  said  he  wou'd  go  ride; 
And  she  has  kilted  her  green  clothes, 
And  said  she  wou'd  not  bide. 

19  The  knight  he  rode,  the  ladye  ran, 

A  live-long  summer's  day, 
Till  they  came  to  the  wan  water, 
That  all  men  do  call  Tay. 

20  He  set  his  horse  head  to  the  water, 

Just  through  it  for  to  ride; 
And  the  ladye  was  as  ready  as  him, 
The  waters  for  to  wade. 


EAKL  RICHARD.  235 


21  For  he  was  ne'er  so  kind-hearted 

As  to  bid  the  ladye  ride ; 
And  she  was  ne'er  so  low-hearted 
As  for  to  bid  him  bide. 

22  But  deep  into  the  wan  water, 

Close  by  a  great  big  stone, 
He  tum'd  his  wight  horse  head  about, 
Said — "  Ladye  fair,  loup  on." 

23  She 's  taken  the  wand  was  in  her  hand. 

And  struck  it  on  the  foam; 
"  Ye  need  not  stop  for  me,"  she  said, 
"  Sir  Knight,  ye  may  ride  on. 

24  "  I  learn'd  it  from  my  mother  dear. 

There 's  few  ha'e  learn'd  it  better-^ 
When  I  come  to  a  deep  water, 
I  can  swim  like  ony  otter. 

25  "  I  learn'd  it  from  my  mother  dear, 

I  learn'd  it  for  my  weal — 
When  I  come  to  a  deep  water, 
I  can  swim  like  ony  eel. 

26  "  By  the  help  of  God  and  Our  Ladye, 

I'll  swim  across  the  tide; " 
And  ere  he  reached  the  middle  stream, 
She  was  on  the  other  side. 

27  And  when  she  reach'd  the  other  side. 

She  sat  down  on  a  stone; 
She  sat  down  there  to  rest  herself, 
And  wait  till  he  came  on. 

28  "  Turn  back,  turn  back,  you  ladye  fair, 

You  know  not  what  I  see; 
There  is  a  ladye  in  that  castle. 

That  will  burn  you  and  me." 
"  Betide  me  weal,  betide  me  woe. 

That  ladye  I  will  see." 

29  Then  she 's  gane  on  to  the  queen's  court, 

And  there  tirl'd  at  the  pin; 
The  porter  ready  answer  made, 
To  see  who  wou'd  be  in. 

30  She  gave  a  ring  from  her  finger, 

To  the  porter  for  his  fee; 
Says — "  Take  you  that,  my  good  porter. 
The  queen  I  fain  wou'd  see." 


^6  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


31    The  porter  he  went  to  the  queen. 
And  knelt  low  on  his  knee; 
"  There  is  a  ladye  waits  at  your  gates, 
Says  she  wou'd  fain  you  see." 

82     "  Then  open  my  gates  both  wide  and  braid, 
As  wide  as  they  can  be ; 
Ye'll  open  my  gates  both  wide  and  braid, 
And  bring  her  here  to  me." 

33  And  when  she  came  before  the  queen, 

She  fell  low  on  her  knee ; 
"  Win  up,  win  up,  my  fair  woman, 
What  means  this  courtesie?  " 

34  "  My  errand  it's  to  thee,  0  queen  1 

My  errand  it 's  to  thee ; 
There  is  a  knight  into  your  court 
Who  has  this  day  robb'd  me." 

85  "  Oh,  has  he  robb'd  you  of  your  gold. 

Or  robb'd  you  of  your  fee?" 
"  He  has  not  robb'd  me  of  my  gold, 

Nor  robb'd  me  of  my  fee ; 
But  robb'd  me  of  what 's  dearer  still, 

The  flow'r  pf  my  bodie." 

86  "  There  is  no  knight  in  all  my  court 

Has  done  this  wrang  to  thee. 
But  you'll  have  the  troth  of  his  right  hand, 
Or  for  your  sake  he'll  dee.* 

37  "  Tho'  it  were  Earl  Richard,  my  own  brother, 

But,  oh!  forbid  it  be!" 
Then,  sighing,  said  the  ladye  fair, 
"  I  wot  that  it  is  he." 

38  "  Oh,  wou'd  ye  ken  this  dastard  knight 

Among  a  hundred  men?" 
"  That  wou'd  I,"  said  the  bonnie  lass, 
"  Tho'  there  were  hundreds  ten." 

39  The  queen  made  all  her  merry  men  pass, 

By  ane,  and  twa,  and  three ; 
Earl  Richard  used  to  be  the  first, 
But  the  hindmost  now  was  he. 

•  Variation:  "Oh,  if  he  be  a  single  man, 

Youf  husband  he  shall  be ; 
But  if  he  be  a  married  man. 
It  'b  high  hang'd  he  shall  be." 


EARL  RICHARD. 


237 


40  He  came  hirpling  on  ae  foot, 

And  blinking  with  ae  e'e; 
"  Aha!"  then  cried  the  bonnie  lass, 
"  That  same  young  man  are  ye." 

41  He  laid  his  brand  and  a  gay  gold  ring 

Together  on' a  stone; 
She  minted  twice  to  take  the  brand, 
And  then  the  ring  put  on. 

42  Then  he  's  ta'en  out  one  hundred  pounds, 

And  told  it  in  his  glove; 
Says — "  Take  you  that,  my  ladye  fair,    . 
And  seek  another  love." 

43  "  Oh  no,  oh  no,"  the  ladye  cried, 

"  That 's  what  shall  never  be; 
I'll  have  the  troth  of  your  right  hand; 
The  queen  she  gave  it  me." 

44  "I  wish  I  had  drunk  the  wan  water. 

When  I  did  drink  the  wine; 
That  now  for  a  carle's  fair  daughter, 
It  gars  me  dree  this  pine." 

45  "  Maybe  I  am  a  carle's  daughter, 

And  maybe  I  am  none ; 
But  when  we  met  in  the  greenwood. 
Why  not  let  me  alone?" 

46  "  Will  you  wear  the  short  clothing. 

Or  will  you  wear  the  syde? 
Or  will  you  walk  to  your  wedding. 
Or  will  you  to  it  ride?" 

47  "  I  will  not  wear  the  shdrt  clothing, 

But  I  will  wear  the  syde; 
I  will  not  walk  to  my  wedding. 
But  I  to  it  will  ride." 

48  When  he  was  set  upon  the  horse, 

The  lady  him  behin'. 
Then  cauld  and  eerie  were  the  words 
The  twa  had  them  between. 

49  She  said—"  Gude  e'en,  ye  nettles  tatl, 

Where  ye  grow  by  the  dyke; 
If  the  auld  carline,  my  mother,  was  here, 
Sae  weel  's  she  wou'd  you  pyke. 


238  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


50  "  How  she  wou'd  stap  you  in  her  pock, 

I  wot  she  wou'dna  fail ; 
And  hoil  ye  in  her  auld  brass  pan,  | 

And  of  ye  make  gude  kail. 

51  "  And  she  wou'd  meal  you  with  mellering  * 

That  she  gathers  at  the  mill, 
And  make  you  thick  as  any  dough, 
Till  the  pan  it  was  brimful. 

52  "  She  wou'd  mess  you  up  with  scuttlins, 

To  sup  till  she  were  fu', 
Then  lay  her  head  upon  a  pock, 
And  snore  like  any  sow." 

53  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  ye  beggar's  brat, 

My  heart  will  break  in  three ! " 
"  And  so  did  mine  in  yon  greenwood, 
When  ye  wou'dna  let  me  be. 

64  "  Gude  e'en,  gude  e'en,  ye  heather  berries, 

There  growing  on  the  hill ; 
If  the  auld  carle  and  his  pocks  were  her-e, 
I  wot  he'd  get  his  fill. 

65  "  Last  night  I  sat  till  I  was  tired, 

And  mended  at  their  pocks ; 
But  to-morrow  morning  I  will  bear 
The  keys  of  an  earl's  locks. 

66  "  Late,  late  last  night,  through  baith  their  pocks, 

I  drew  the  hempen  strings; 
But  to-morrow  morning  I  will  wear 
On  my  fingers  gay  gold  rings." 

57  "Away!  away!  ye  ill  woman. 

Your  vile  words  grieve  me  sair; 
When  you  heed  so  little  for  yourself. 
For  me  still  less  ye'll  care. 

58  "  But  if  you  are  a  carle's  daughter, 

As  I  take  you  to  be, 
How  did  you  get  the  gay  clothing 
That  on  ye  I  do  see?" 

69    "  My  mother  she  is  a  poor  woman. 
Nursed  an  earl's  children  three; 
And  I  got  them  from  a  foster-sister, 
To  beguile  such  sparks  as  thee." 

•  "Mellering:"  corruption  of  meidenn^. 

t  "  Scuttlins: "  light  flour  made  from  inferior  grain. 


EAKL  RICHARD.  239 


60  "  But  if  you  be  a  carle's  daughter, 

As  I  take  you  to  be, 
How  did  ye  learn  the  good  Latin 
That  ye  spoke  unto  me?" 

61  "  My  mother  she  is  a  mean  woman, 

Nursed  an  earl's  children  three ; 
I  learn'd  it  from  their  chapelain, 
To  beguile  such  sparks  as  thee." 

62  Then  to  a  beggar  wife  that  pass'd, 

The  ladye  flang  a  crown; 
"  Tell  all  your  neighbours,  when  ye  go  hame, 
Earl  Kichard  's  your  gude-son."  * 

63  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  ye  beggar's  brat, 

My  heart  will  break  in  three ! " 
"  And  so  did  mine  in  yon  greenwood. 
When  ye  wou'dna  let  me  be." 

64  And  when  they  to  Earl  Richard's  came, 

And  were  at  dinner  set, 
Then  out  and  spake  the  bonnie  bride, 
I  wot  she  was  not  blate. 

65  "  Go,  take  away  the  china  plates, 

Go,  take  them  far  frae  me. 
And  bring  to  me  a  wooden  dish-i-; 
It's  tbat  I'm  best  used  wi'. 

66  "  And  take  away  these  silver  spoons, 

The  like  I  ne'er  did  see. 
And  bring  to  me  the  horn  spoons — 
They're  gude  enough  for  me." 

67  "When  bells  were  rung  and  mass  was  sung, 

And  all  men  bound  for  rest. 
Earl  Richard  and  his  bonnie  bride 
In  ae  chamber  were  placed. 

68  "  Oh,  take  away  your  sheets,"  she  said, 

•'  Made  of  the  Holland  fine, 
And  bring  to  me  the  linsey  clouts, 
That  lang  ha'e  served  as  mine," 

69  "  Keep  far  away  from  me,"  he  said, 

"  Keep  far  away  from  me; 

It  is  not  meet  a  carline's  brat 

My  bedfellow  shou'd  be." 

•  "GBde-son:'  son-in-law. 


240  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


70  "  It 's  maybe  I'm  a  carline'a  brat, 

And  maj^be  I  am  none; 
But  when  we  met  in  yon  greenwood, 
Why  not  let  me  alone?" 

71  "  Now  rest  content,"  said  the  Billy  Blin', 

"  The  one  may  serve  the  other; 
The  Earl  of  Stockford's  fair  daughter, 
And  the  queen  of  Scotland's  brother." 

72  "  Oh,  fair  fall  you,  ye  Billy  Blin', 

Since  such  is  her  degree; 

For  with  this  witty  lady  fair, 

How  happy  must  I  be ! " 


BURD   HELEN. 


"  Earl  Richard,"  which  precedes,  and  "Burd  Helen,"  which  follows, 
must  either  have  had  one  common  origin,  or  the  one  has  borrowed 
largely  from  the  other.  The  various  versions  of  the  latter  ballad  are 
as  under: — 

I.  "  Child  Waters,"  published  by  Percy  from  his  folio  MS. 
Reliques,  voL  iii.,  p.  94. 
II.  "  Burd  Ellen,"  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p. 
112  ;  where  it  is  "given  from  Mrs.  Brown's  recitation," 
and  "with  scrupulotis  exactness,  except  where  the  varia- 
tions are  pointed  out." 

III.  "  An  imperfect  copy,"  prefixed  to  the  last-named,  and 

communicated  to  Mr.  Jamieson  by  "  Mrs.    Arrot  of 
Arbroath." 

IV.  *'  Lady  Margaret,"  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads, 

p.  179. 

V.   "Burd  Helen,"  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  30. 

VI.   "  Burd  Helen,"  in  Chambers's  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  193  ; 

collated  from  the   above-named,    with  additions    and 

emendations,  from  a  MS.  supplied  by  Mr.  Kinloch. 

The  text  which  foUows  is  chiefly  derived  from  Mr.  Jamieson's  and  ^ 

Mr.  Buchan's  versions. 

1  Lord  John  stood  at  his  stable  door, 

While  a  groom  his  steed  did  kaim; 
Burd  Helen  sat  at  her  bow'r  door, 
Sewing  her  silken  seam. 

2  Lord  John  stood  in  his  stable  door, 

Said  he  was  bound  to  ride; 
Burd  Helen  stood  in  her  bow'r  door, 
Said  she'd  run  by  his  side. 


BURD  HELEN.  241 


3  "  The  corn  is  turning  ripe,  Lord  John, 

The  nuts  are  growing  fu', 
And  ye  are  bound  for  your  ain  countrie, — 
Fain  wou'd  I  go  with  you." 

4  "With  me,  Helen!  with  me,  Helen! 

"What  wou'd  ye  do  with  me  ? 
I've  mair  need  of  a  little  page. 
Than  of  the  like  of  thee." 

5  "  Oh,  I  will  be  your  little  page. 

To  wait  upon  your  steed; 
And  I  will  be  your  little  page, 
Your  leash  of  hounds  to  lead." 

6  "  But  my  hounds  will  eat  the  bread  of  wheat. 

And  ye  the  dust  and  bran ; 
Then  you  will  sit  and  sigh,  Helen, 
That  e'er  our  loves  began." 

7  "  Oh,  your  dogs  may  eat  the  gude  wheat  bread, 

And  I  the  dust  and  bran; 
Yet  I  will  sing  and  say — '  Well 's  me,       » 
That  e'er  our  loves  began! '" 

8  "  Oh,  I  may  drink  the  gude  red  wine, 

And  you  the  water  wan; 
Then  you  will  sigh  and  say — *  Alas, 
That  e'er  our  loves  began ! ' " 

9  "  Oh,  you  may  drink  the  gude  red  wine, 

And  I  the  water  wan ; 
Yet  I  will  sing  and  say — '  Well 's  me. 
That  our  two  loves  began!'" 

10  "  Oh,  you'd  better  stay  at  hame,  Helen, 

And  sew  your  silken  seam, 
Than  go  with  me  o'er  moss  and  moor, 
And  many  a  foaming  stream." 

11  "I  will  not  stay  at  hame,  Lord  John, 

And  sew  my  silken  seam: 
I'll  follow  you  o'er  moss  and  moor. 
And  o'er  each  foaming  stream." 

12  Lord  John  he  mounted  his  white  steed, 

And  northward  hame  did  ride ; 
Burd  Helen,  dress'd  in  page  attire, 
Ran  onward  by  his  side. 
R 


242  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


13  He  ne'er  was  sic  a  courteous  knight, 

As  ask  her  for  to  ride; 
And  she  was  ne'er  so  mean  a 
As  ask  him  for  to  bide. 

14  Lord  John  he  rade,  Burd  Helen  ran, 

A  live-long  summer  day; 
And  when  they  came  to  Clyde  water, 
'Twas  filled  from  brae  to  brae. 

15  The  first  step  that  she  waded  in, 

She  waded  to  the  knee : 
"  Alas  !  alas ! "  said  Burd  Helen, 
"This  water's  no  for  me." 

16  The  next  step  that  she  waded  in, 

She  waded  to  the  neck ; 
And  then  she  felt  her  unborn  babe 
For  cauld  begin  to  quake. 

17  "  Lye  still,  lye  still,  my  unborn  babe, 

I  can  no  better  do ; 
Your  father  rides  on  high  horseback, 
iBut  cares  not  for  us  two." 

18  About  the  middle  of  the  Clyde 

There  stood  an  earth-fast  stone ; 

And  there  she  call'd  to  God  for  help, 

Since  help  from  man  came  none. 

19  Lord  John  he  turn'd  him  round  about, 

And  took  Burd  Helen  on; 
Then  brought  her  to  the  other  side. 
And  there  he  set  her  down. 

20  "  Oh,  tell  me  this  now,  good  Lord  John, 

In  pity  tell  to  me. 
How  far  is  it  to  your  lodging, 

Where  we  this  night  shou'd  be  ?  " 

21  "  It 's  thirty  miles,  Burd  Helen,"  he  said, 

"It's  thirty  miles  and  three." 

"  Oh,  wae  is  me,"  said  Burd  Helen, 

"  It  will  ne'er  be  run  by  me!" 

22  Then  up  and  spake  out  in  good  time 

A  pyet  on  a  tree, — 
"  Ye  lee,  ye  lee,  ye  false,  false  knight, 
So  loud  as  I  hear  you  lee. 


BUKD   HELEN.  243 


23  "  For  yonder  stand  your  goodly  tow'rs, 

Of  miles  scarce  distant  three." 
"  Oh,  well  is  me,"  said  Burd  Helen, 
"They  shall  be  run  by  me." 

24  "  But  ther^  is  a  ladye  in  yon  castle 

Will  sinder  you  and  I." 
"  Betide  me  weal,  betide  me  woe, 
I  shall  go  there  and  try. 

25  "  I  wish  no  ill  to  your  ladye, 

She  ne'er  did  ill  to  me; 
But  I  wish  her  most  of  your  love, 
Who  drees  the  most  for  thee. 

26  "  I  wish  no  ill  to  your  ladye, 

For  sic  I  never  thought; 
But  I  wish  her  most  of  your  love, 
Has  dearest  that  love  bought." 

27  Lord  John  was  welcom'd  hame  again 

By  ladies  fair  and  gay; 
But  a  fairer  ladye  than  any  there 
Did  lead  his  horse  away. 

28  Four-and-twenty  ladies  fair 

Sat  with  him  in  the  hall ; 
But  the  fairest  ladye  that  was  there 
Did  wait  upon  them  all. 

29  When  bells  were  rung  and  mass  was  sung, 

And  all  were  bound  to  meat, 
Burd  Helen  was  at  the  bye-table, 
Amang  the  pages  set. 

30  "  Oh,  eat  and  drink,  my  bonnie  boy, 

The  white  bread  and  the  beer." 
"  The  never  a  bit  can  I  eat  or  drink — 
My  heart 's  sae  full  of  fear." 

31  "  Oh,  eat  and  drink,  my  bonnie  boy, 

The  white  bread  and  the  wine." 
"  Oh,  how  shall  I  eat  or  drink,  master. 
With  a  heart  sae  full  of  pine?" 

32  Then  up  and  spake  Lord  John's  sister, 

A  sweet  young  maid  was  she: 
"  My  brother  has  brought  the  bonniest  page 
That  ever  I  did  see." 


244  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


33  But  out  then  spake  Lord  John's  mother, 

A  wise  woman  was  she  : 
"  Where  met  ye  with  that  bonnie  boy, 
That  looks  so  sad  on  thee  ? 

34  "  Sometimes  his  cheek  is  rosy  red, 

And  sometimes  deadly  wan; 
He's  liker  a  woman  big  with  bairn, 
Than  a  young  lord's  serving  man." 

35  "  Oh,  it  makes  me  laugh,  my  mother  dear, 

Sic  words  to  hear  frae  thee ; 
He  is  a  squire's  ae  dearest  son, 
That  for  love  has  follow'd  me. 

36  "  Eise  up,  rise  up,  my  bonnie  boy, 

Give  my  horse  baith  corn  and  hay." 
"  Oh,  that  I  will,  my  master  dear. 
As  quickly  as  I  may." 

37  She 's  ta'en  the  hay  beneath  her  arm. 

The  corn  intill  her  hand. 
And  she's  gane  to  the  great  stable 
As  fast  as  e'er  she  can. 

S8     "  Oh,  room  ye  round,  my  bonnie  brown  steeds, 
Oh,  room  ye  near  the  wall; 
For  the  pain  that  strikes  through  my  twa  sides, 
I  fear,  will  gar  me  fall." 

39  She  lean'd  her  back  against  the  wall. 

Strong  travail  came  her  on ; 
And  e'en  amang  the  horses'  feet, 
Burd  Helen  bare  her  son. 

40  Lord  John's  mother  intill  her  bow'r 

Was  sitting  all  alane. 
When,  in  the  silence  of  the  night, 
She  heard  Burd  Hlelen's  mane. 

41  "  Won  up,  won  up,  my  son,"  she  said, 

"  Go  see  how  all  does  fare; 
For  I  think  I  hear  a  woman's  groans, 
And  a  bairnie  greetin'  sair ! " 

42  Oh,  hastily  he  got  him  up, 

Staid  not  for  hose  nor  shoon ; 
But  to  the  stable  where  she  lay, 
He  quickly  hied  him  down. 


BUED  nELEN.  245 


43  "  Oh,  open  the  door,  Burd  Helen,"  he  said, 

"  Oh,  open  and  let  me  in: 
I  want  to  see  if  my  steeds  are  fed, 
And  what  makes  aU  this  din." 

44  "  How  can  I  open,  how  shall  I  open, 

How  can  I  open  to  thee? 
I'm  lying  amang  your  horses'  feet. 
Your  young  son  on  my  knee." 

45  He  hit  the  door  then  with  his  foot, 

Sae  did  he  with  his  knee. 
Till  door  of  deal  and  locks  of  steel 
In  splinters  he  gaj'd  flee. 

46  "  An  askin',  an  askin',  Lord  John,"  she  said, 

"  An  askin'  ye'U  grant  me : 
The  warsten  bow'r  in  all  your  tow'rs 
For  thy  young  son  and  me." 

47  "  Oh  yes,  oh  yes!  Bvu-d  Helen,"  he  said, 

"  All  that  and  mair  frae  me;     • 
The  very  best  bow'r  in  all  my  tow'rs 
For  my  young  son  and  thee." 

48  "  An  askin',  an  askin',  Lord  John,"  she  said, 

"  An  askin'  ye'U  grant  me : 
The  meanest  maid  in  all  the  place 
To  wait  on  him  and  me." 

49  "  I  grant,  I  grant,  Burd  Helen,"  he  said, 

"  All  that  and  mair  frae  me: 
The  very  best  bed  in  all  the  place 
To  my  young  son  and  thee. 

60    "  The  highest  ladye  in  all  the  place 
Shall  wait  on  him  and  thee ; 
And  that 's  my  sister,  Isabel, 
And  a  sweet  young  maid  is  she. 

51  "  Take  up,  take  up,  my  bonnie  young  son. 

Gar  wash  him  with  the  milk ; 
Take  up,  take  up  my  fair  ladye, 
Gar  row  her  in  the  silk. 

52  "  And  cheer  thee  up,  Burd  Helen,"  he  said, 

"  Look  nae  mair  sad  nor  wae. 
For  your  wedding  and  your  kirking  too 
Shall  baith  be  in  ae  day." 


246  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


REEDISDALE  AND  WISE  WILLIAM. 

"This  excellent  ballad  is  from  the  recitation  of  Mr.  Nicol,  Strichen, 
and  was  communicated  by  Mr.  P.  Buchan,  of  Peterhead,  to  Mr. 
Motherwell,"  in  whose  Minstrelsy,  p.  298,  it  first  appeared.  See 
ante,  p.  22. 

This  ballad  may  also  be  found  in  Mr.  Buchan's  own  collection  of 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  70.  It  resembles,  in  some  respects,  "The 
Twa  Knights,"  which  appears  in  the  same  work  and  volume,  p.  271. 

A  similar  Scandinavian  ballad,  as  translated  by  Mr.  Robert 
Buchanan,  may  be  found  in  his  volume,  Ballaxl  Stories  of  the  Affec- 
tions, p.  45,  under  the  title  of  "  Maid  Mettelil." 

\    When  Eeedisdale  and  Wise  William 
Were  drinking  at  the  wine, 
There  fell  a  roosing  them  amang, 
On  an  unruly  time. 

2  For  some  of  them  ha'e  roosed  their  hawks, 

And  some  other  their  hounds; 

And  some  other  their  ladies  fair, 

As  the  roosing  went  the  rounds. 

3  When  out  it  spake  him  Reedisdale, 

And  a  rash  word  spake  he ; 
Says — "  There  is  not  a  ladye  fair, 

In  bow'r  where'er  she  be, 
But  I  cou'd  aye  her  favour  win 

With  one  blink  of  my  e'e." 

4  Then  out  it  spake  him  Wise  William, 

And  a  rash  word  spake  he; 
Says — "I  have  a  sister  of  my  own, 

In  bow'r  where'er  she  be, 
And  ye  will  not  her  favour  win 

With  three  blinks  of  your  e'e." 

5  "What  will  you  wager.  Wise  William? 

My  lands  I'll  wad  with  thee; " 
"  I'll  wad  my  head  against  your  land. 
Till  I  get  more  monie." 

6  Then  Reedisdale  took  Wise  William, 

Laid  him  in  prison  Strang, 
That  he  might  neither  gang  nor  ride, 
Nor  ae  word  to  her  send. 


REEDISDALE  AND  WISE  WILLIAM.  247 


7  But  he  has  written  a  hraid  letter, 

Between  the  night  and  day, 
And  sent  it  to  his  own  sister, 
By  dun  feather  and  gray. 

8  When  she  had  read  Wise  William's  letter. 

She  smiled  and  syne  she  leuch; 
Said — "Very  weel,  my  dear  brother, 
Of  this  I  have  eneuch." 

9  She  looked  out  at  her  west  window, 

To  see  what  she  could  see, 
And  there  she  spied  him  Eeedisdale, 
Come  riding  o'er  the  lea. 

10    "Come  here  to  me,  my  maidens  all, 
Come  hitherward  to  me ; 
For  here  it  comes  him  Eeedisdale, 
Who  comes  a-courting  me." 

]  1     "Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair, 
A  sight  of  you  give  me." 
"  Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Eeedisdale, 
For  me  you  will  not  see." 

12  "Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair, 

A  sight  of  you  give  me ; 
And  bonnie  are  the  gowns  of  silk 
That  I  wUl  give  to  thee." 

13  "  If  you  have  bonnie  gowns  of  silk, 

Oh,  mine  is  bonnie  tee; 
Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Eeedisdale, 
For  me  you  shall  not  see." 

14  "  Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair, 

A  sight  of  you  give  me; 
And  bonnie  jewels,  brooches,  rings, 
I  will  give  unto  thee." 

15  "  If  you  have  bonnie  brooches,  rings, 

oh,  mine  are  bonnie  tee; 
Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Eeedisdale, 
For  me  you  shall  not  see." 

16  "  Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair. 

One  sight  of  you  give  me; 
And  bonnie  are  the  halls  and  bow'rs 
That  I  will  give  to  thee." 


248  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  "  If  you  have  bonnie  halls  and  bow'rs, 

Oh,  mine  are  bonnie  tee ; 
Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Reedisdale, 
For  me  you  shall  not  see." 

18  "  Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair, 

A  sight  of  you  give  me ; 
And  bonnie  are  my  lands  so  broad 
That  I  will  give  to  thee." 

19  "  If  you  have  bonnie  lands  so  broad. 

Oh,  mitie  are  bonnie  tee; 
Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Reedisdale, 
For  me  you  will  not  see." 

20  "  Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair, 

A  sight  of  you  give  me ; 
And  bonnie  are  the  bags  of  gold 
That  I  will  give  to  thee." 

21  "If  you  have  bonnie  bags  of  gold, 

I  have  bags  of  the  same ; 
Go  from  my  yetts  now,  Reedisdale, 
For  down  I  will  not  come." 

22  "  Come  down,  come  down,  my  ladye  fair. 

One  sight  of  you  I'll  see; 
Or  else  I'll  set  your  house  on  lire, 
If  better  cannot  be." 

23  Then  he  has  set  the  house  on  fire, 

And  at  the  first  it  took; 
He  turned  his  wight  horse  head  about. 
Said — "  Alas!  they'll  ne'er  get  out." 

24  "  Look  out,  look  out,  my  maidens  fair, 

And  see  what  I  do  see; 
How  Reedisdale  has  fired  our  house, 
And  now  rides  o'er  the  lea! 

25  "  Come  hitherward,  my  maidens  fair. 

Come  hither  unto  me ; 
For  through  this  reek,  and  through  this  smeek, 
Oh,  through  it  we  must  be ! " 

26  They  took  wet  mantles  them  about, 

Their  coffers  by  the  band; 
And  through  the  reek  and  through  the  flame 
Alive  they  all  have  wan. 


TOUNG  BEARWELL.  249 


27  When  they  had  got  out  through  the  fire, 

And  able  all  to  stand, 
She  sent  a  maid  to  Wise  William, 
To  bruik  Keedisdale's  land. 

28  "  Your  lands  are  mine  now,  Reedisdale, 

For  I  have  won  them  free." 
"  If  there  is  a  good  woman  in  the  world, 
Your  ain  sister  is  she." 


YOUNG  BEARWELL 

"  Is  a  fragment,  and  now  printed,"  says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "in  the 
hope  that  the  remainder  of  it  may  hereafter  be  recovered.  From 
circumstances,  one  would  almost  be  inclined  to  trace  it  to  a  Danish 
source ;  or  it  may  be  an  episode  of  some  forgotten  metrical  romance ; 
but  this  cannot  satisfactorily  be  ascertained,  from  its  catastrophe 
being  unfortimately  wanting."  This  fragment  first  appeared  in 
Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.   345,  and  afterwards  in  Mr.   Buchan's 

indent  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  75.     It  appears  here  in  a  ^e^'ised  and 

imended  form. 

1  When  two  lovers  love  each  other  weel, 

'Twere  sin  to  have  them  twined ; 
And  this  I  speak  of  young  BearweU, 

Who  loved  a  ladye  kind, — 
1  The  Mayor's  daughter  of  Birktoun-brae, 

1  That  lovely  liesome  thing. 

2  One  day,  as  she  was  looking  out, 
Washing  her  milk-white  hands, 

Then  she  beheld  him,  young  Bearwell, 
As  he  came  o'er  the  sands. 

!    Says — "  Wae  's  me  for  you,  young  BearweU, 
Such  tales  of  you  are  tauld ; 
They'll  cause  you  sail  the  salt  sea  far, 
Beyond  Orcades  cauld." 

{    "  Oh !  shall  I  bide  in  good  greenwood. 

Or  here  in  bow'r  remain?  " 
"  The  leaves  are  thick  in  good  greenwood, 

Wou'd  hold  you  from  the  rain ; 
And  if  you  stay  in  bow'r  with  me, 

You  will  be  ta'en  and  slain. 

>     "  But  I'll  cause  build  a  ship  for  you, 
Upon  Saint  Innocent's  day ; 
I'll  pray  Saint  Innocent  be  your  guide, 
,         And  Our  Ladye,  who  meikle  may. 
\     You  are  a  ladye's  first  true  love, 
I        God  carry  you  well  away ! " 


250  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


6  Then  he  sailed  east  and  he  sailed  west, 

By  many  a  comely  strand ; 
At  length  a  puff  of  northern  wind 
Did  blow  him  to  the  land, 

7  Where  he  did  see  the  king  and  court 

Were  playing  at  the  ball, 

Gave  him  a  harp  into  his  hand. 

And  welcomed  him  withal. 

8  He  has  ta'en  up  the  harp  in  hand, 

And  unto  play  went  he; 
And  young  Bearwell  was  the  first  man 
In  all  that  companie. 

9  He  had  not  been  in  the  king's  court 

A  twelvemonth  and  a  day, 
Till  there  came  many  a  lord  and  laird, 
To  court  that  ladye  gay. 

10  They  wooed  her  baith  with  brooch  and  ring, 

They  nothing  could  keep  back; 
The  very  charters  of  their  lands 
Into  her  hands  they  pat. 

11  She's  done  her  down  to  her  fiall,* 

With  the  ae  light  of  the  mune; 
Says — "  Will  ye  do  this  deed  for  me. 
And  will  ye  do  it  suue? 

12  "  Will  ye  go  seek  him,  young  Bearwell, 

On  seas  where'er  he  be  ? 
And  if  1  live  and  bruikf  my  life, 
Rewarded  ye  shall  be." 

13  "Alas!  I  am  too  young  a  skipper, 

So  far  to  sail  the  faem;     ... 
But  if  I  live  and  bruik  my  life, 
I'll  strive  to  bring  him  hame." 

14  So  he  sail'd  east  and  then  sail'd  west, 

By  many  a  comely  strand. 
Till  there  came  a  blast  of  northern  wind. 
And  blew  him  to  the  land. 

15  And  there  the  king  and  all  his  court 

Were  playing  at  the  ball. 
And  Bearwell,  with  his  harp  in  hand, 
Play'd  sweetly  'mang  them  all. 
******* 
•  "Fiall:"  fendal  vassal.  t  "Bruik:"  endure  or  enjo; 


CHIL   ETHER. 


251 


CHIL  ETHER.* 
From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  228. 

1  Chil  EthEpR  and  Ladye  Maisry 

Were  baith  born  at  ae  birth; 
They  lov'd  each  other  tenderlie, 
'Boon  everything  on  earth. 

2  "  The  ley  likesna  the  summer  show'r, 

Nor  girse  the  morning  dew, 
Better,  dear  Ladye  Maisry, 
Than  Chil  Ether  loves  you." 

3  "  The  bonnie  doo  likeana  its  mate, 

Nor  babe  at  breast  its  mither, 
Better,  my  dearest  Chil  Ether, 
Than  Maisry  loves  her  brither." 

i    But  he  needs  gae  to  gain  renown. 
Into  some  far  countrie ; 
Sae  Chil  Ether  has  gane  abroad. 
To  fight  in  Paynimie. 

5     And  he  has  been  in  Paynimie 
A  twelvemonth  and  a  day; 
But  tidings  ne'er  to  Maisry  came, 
Of  his  welfare  to  say. 

G     Then  she 's  ta'en  ship  awa  to  sail, 
Out  ower  the  roaring  faem, 
All  for  to  find  him  Chil  Ether, 
And  for  to  bring  him  hame. 

7  She  hadna  sail'd  the  sea  a  month, 
A  month  but  barely  three. 

Until  she  landed  on  Cyprus  shore. 
By  the  mune-light  sae  hie. 

8  Ladye  Maisry  did  on  her  green  mantle, 
Took  her  purse  in  her  hand, 

And  call'd  to  her  her  mariners, 
Syne  walk'd  up  thro'  the  land. 

Oh,  she  walk'd  up,  and  she  walk'd  down. 

Till  she  reach'd  a  castle  high; 
And  there  sat  down  on  the  door-stane, 

And  wept  right  bitterlie. 

*  Childe  rthui',  or  A'thur.    The  last  is  the  vulgar  pronunciation  in  Edinburgh, 
where  Arthtg  Seat  is  caUed  "  A'thur's  Seat." 


252  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


10  Then  out  it  spake  a  sweet,  sweet  voice, 

Out  o'er  the  castle  wall : 
"  Oh,  isna  that  Ladye  Maisry, 
That  lets  the  tears  down  fall? 

11  "  But  if  that  be  Ladye  Maisry, 

Let  her  make  mirth  and  glee; 
For  I'm  her  brother,  Chil  Ether, 
That  loves  her  tenderlie. 

12  "  But  if  that  be  Ladye  Maisry, 

Let  her  take  purse  in  hand, 
And  gang  to  yonder  castle  wall, — 
They  call  it  Gorinand; 

13  "  Spier  for  the  lord  of  that  castle, 

Give  him  dollars  thirty-three; 
Tell  him  to  ransom  Chil  Ether, 
That  loves  you  tenderlie." 

14  She 's  dune  her  up  to  that  castle, 

Paid  down  her  gude  monie  ; 
And  she  has  ransom'd  Chil  Ether, 
Then  hame  baith  cross'd  the  sea. 


JOHN  THOMSON  AND  THE  TURK. 

From  Motherwell's  ilfire^ireZsi/,  appendix,  p.  ix.  "This  curiousbal- 
lad,  "says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "is  of  respectable  antiquity.  Dun ba  has 
written  a  piece,  entitled,  '  Prayer  that  the  King  war  John  Thomsun"s 
Man,'  the  fourth  line  of  each  stanza  being,  'God,  gif  ye  war  John  Iiom- 
soun,  man !'  In  his  note  on  this  poem,  Mr.  Pinkerton  says :  '^is  is 
a  proverbial  expression,  meaning  a  henpecked  husband-  I  hav<little 
doubt  but  the  original  proverb  was  Joan  Thomson's  man ;  w«,  in 
Scotland,  signifies  either  husband  or  servant.^  Pinkerton  wa  igno- 
rant of  the  existence  of  the  ballad :  had  he  been  acquainted  ith  it, 
he  would  have  saved  himself  the  trouble  of  writing  a  foohsh  onjec- 
ture.  Cohdlle,  in  his  Whigs^  Supplication,  or  the  Scotch  H'lihras, 
alludes  twice  to  John  Thomson : — 

'We  read  in  greatest  warriors'  lives, 
They  oft  were  ruled  by  their  wives,  &c. 
And  so  the  imperious  Roxalan 
Made  the  great  Turk  Johne  Thomson's  man.' 
Again  — 

' -And  these,  we  ken, 

Have  ever  been  John  Thomson's  men. 
That  is  still  ruled  by  their  wives.' 

"  Pennicuik,  ia  his  '  Linton  Address  to  the  Prince  of  Qinge, '  also 
alludes  to  the  proverbial  expression  : — 

'Our  Lintoun  Wives  shall  blaw  the  coal, 
And  women  here,  as  weel  we  ken. 
Would  have  Us  all  John  Thomson's  men. 


JOHN  THOMSON  AND  THE  TUEK. 


253 


"  Two  or  three  stanzas  of  the  ballad  were  known  to  Dr.  Leyden 
when  he  published  his  edition  of  The  Complaynt  of  Scotland.  These 
he  has  given  in  the  glossary  appended  to  that  work. 

"In  Kelly's  Proverbs,  London,  1721,  there  is  this  notice  of  the 
proverb, — 'Better  be  John  Thomson's  man  than  E-ingan  Dinn's  or 
John  Knox's ; '  and  Kelly  gives  this  gloss, — 'John  Thomson's  man  is  he 
that  is  complaisant  to  his  wife's  humours ;  Eingan  Dinn's  is  he  whom 
his  wife  scolds;  John  Knox's  is  he  whom  his  wife  beats.'  In  the 
West  Country,  my  friend,  Mr.  A.  Crawford,  informs  me  that  when  a 
company  are  sitting  together  sociably,  and  a  neighbour  drops  in,  it  is 
usual  to  welcome  him  thus, — 'Come  awa,  we're  a'  John  Tamson's 
bairns. ' 

"There  is  a  song  about  John  Tamson's  wallet,  but  whether  this 
was  the  palmer's  scrip,  which  the  hero  of  the  ballad  must  have  borne, 
I  know  not.  AU  that  I  have  heard  concerning  the  wallet  is  con- 
tained in  these  two  verses : — 

'  John  Tamson's  wallet  frae  end  to  end, 
John  Tamson's  wallet  frae  end  to  end; 
And  what  was  in't  ye  fain  would  ken, — 
■Whigmaleeriea  for  women  and  men. 

'About  his  wallet  there  was  a  dispute : 
Some  said  it  was  made  o'  the  skin  o'  a  brute, 
But  I  believe  it 's  made  o'  the  best  o'  bend, 
John  Tamson's  wallet,  frae  end  to  end.' 

There  is  also  a  nursery  rhyme  which  runs  thus : — 

'  John  Tamson  and  his  man 
To  the  town  ran ; 
They  bought  and  they  sold. 
And  the  penny  down  told. 
The  kirk  was  ane, 
The  quire  was  twa; 
They  gi'ed  a  skelp 
And  cam'  awa.' 

And  this  exhausts  all  I  know  respecting  this  worthy  warrior." 

1  John  Thomson  fought  against  the  Turks 

Three  years,  intil  a  far  countrie ; 
And  all  that  time,  and  something  mair, 
Was  absent  from  his  gay  ladye. 

2  But  it  fell  ance  upon  a  time, 
As  this  young  chieftain  sat  alane, 

He  spied  his  ladye  in  rich  array, 
As  she  walk'd  ower  a  rural  plain. 

3  "  What  brought  ye  here,  my  ladye  gay, 
So  far  awa  from  your  ain  countrie  ? 

I've  thought  lang,  and  very  lang, 
And  all  for  your  fair  face  to  see." 

4  For  some  days  she  did  with  him  bide, 
Till  it  fell  ance  upon  a  day, — 

"  Fare  ye  weel,  for  a  time,"  she  said, 
"  For  now  I  must  boun  hame  away." 


254  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


5  He 's  gi'en  to  her  a  jewel  fine, 

Was  set  with  pearl  and  precious  stane; 
Says — "  My  love,  beware  of  these  savages  bold, 
That's  in  your  way  as  ye  gang  hame. 

6  "  Ye'll  take  the  road,  my  ladye  fair, 

That  leads  you  fair  across  the  lea: 
That  keeps  you  from  wild  Hind  Soldan, 
And  likewise  from  base  Violentrie." 

7  With  heavy  heart  they  twa  did  part. 

She  mintet  as  she  wou'd  gae  hame; 
Hind  Soldan  by  the  Greeks  was  slain, 
But  to  base  Violentrie  she's  gane. 

8  When  twelve  months  they  had  expired, 

John  Thomson  he  thought  wondrous  lang, 
And  he  has  written  a  braid  letter. 
And  seal'd  it  weel  with  his  ain  hand. 

9  He  sent  it  with  a  small  vessel 

That  there  was  quickly  gaun  to  sea ; 
And  sent  it  on  to  fair  Scotland, 
To  see  about  his  gay  ladye. 

10  But  the  answer  he  received  again — 

The  lines  did  grieve  his  heart  right  sair: 
Nane  of  her  friends  there  had  her  seen 
For  twelve  months  and  something  mair. 

11  Then  he  put  on  a  palmer's  weed. 

And  took  a  pike-staflfin  his  hand; 
To  Violentrie's  castle  he  hied. 
But  slowly,  slowly  he  did  gang. 

12  When  within  the  hall  he  came. 

He  jook'd  and  couch'd  out  ower  his  tree  ; 
"  If  ye  be  ladye  of  this  hall. 
Some  of  your  good  bountith  give  me." 

13  "  What  news,  what  news,  palmer?"  she  said, 

"  And  from  what  far  countrie  came  ye?" 
"  I'm  lately  come  from  Grecian  plains. 
Where  lies  some  of  the  Scots  armie." 

14  "  If  ye  be  come  from  Grecian  plains, 

Some  mair  news  I  will  ask  of  thee, — 
Of  one  of  the  chieftains  that  lies  there. 
If  he  has  lately  seen  his  gay  ladye." 


i 


JOHN  THOMSON  AND  THE  TURK.  255 


15  "  It  is  twelve  months,  and  something  mair, 

Since  they  did  part  on  yonder  plain; 
And  now  this  knight  has  began  to  fear 
One  of  his  foes  he  has  her  ta'en." 

16  "I  was  not  ta'en  by  force  nor  slight; 

It  was  all  by  my  ain  free  will; 
He  may  tarry  into  the  fight, 
For  here  I  mean  to  tarry  stiU. 

17  "  And  if  John  Thomson  ye  do  see. 

Tell  him  I  wish  him  silent  sleep; 
But  he  shall  sleep  alane  for  me, 
For  where  I  am  I  mean  to  keep." 

18  With  that  he  threw  aff  his  disguise, 

Laid  by  the  mask  that  he  had  on; 

Said — "  Hide  me  now,  my  ladye  fair. 

For  Violentrie  will  soon  be  hame." 

19  "  For  the  love  I  bore  thee  ance, 

111  strive  to  hide  thee  if  I  can." 
Then  she  put  him  down  in  a  dark  cellar, 
Where  there  lay  many  a  new  slain-man. 

20  But  he  hadna  in  the  cellar  been, 

Not  an  hour  but  barely  three. 
When  hideous  was  the  noise  he  heard, 
As  in  at  the  gate  came  Violentrie. 

21  Says — "  I  wish  you  well,  my  ladye  fair, 

It 's  time  for  us  to  sit  to  dine ; 
Come,  serve  me  with  the  good  white  bread, 
And  likewise  with  the  claret  wine. 

22  "  That  Scots  chieftain,  our  mortal  fae, 

Sae  aft  frae  field  has  made  us  flee, 
Ten  thousand  zechins  this  day  I'd  give 
That  I  his  face  cou'd  only  see." 

23  "  Oh,  that  same  gift  now  give  to  me — 

I  fairly  hold  you  at  your  word — 
That  chieftain's  face  you  soon  will  see ; 
Come  ben,  John  Thomson,  to  my  lord." 

24  Then  from  the  vault  John  Thomson  came. 

Wringing  his  hands  most  piteouslie; 
"What  wou'd  ye  do?"  the  Turk  he  cried, 
"  If  ye  had  me  as  I  ha'e  thee?" 


256  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

25  "  If  I  had  you  as  ye  ha'e  me, 

I'll  tell  you  what  I'd  do  to  thee ; 
I'd  hang  you  up  in  good  greenwood, 
And  cause  your  ain  hand  wale  the  tree. 

26  "  I  meant  to  stick  you  with  my  knife, 

For  kissing  my  beloved  ladye." 
"  But  that  same  weed  ye've  shaped  for  me, 
It  quickly  shall  be  sew'd  for  thee." 

27  Then  to  the  wood  they  baith  are  gane; 

John  Thomson  clamb  frae  tree  to  tree; 

And  aye  he  sigh'd  and  said — "  Och  hone  I 

Here  comes  the  day  that  I  must  die." 

28  He  tied  a  ribbon  on  every  branch, 

Put  up  a  flag  his  men  might  see; 
But  little  did  his  false  faes  ken 
He  meant  them  any  injurie. 

29  He  set  his  horn  unto  his  mouth, 

And  he  has  blawn  baith  loud  and  shrill; 
And  then  three  thousand  armed  men 
Came  tripping  all  out  o'er  the  hill. 

30  "  Give  us  our  chief,"  they  aU  did  cry; 

"  It's  by  our  hand  that  ye  must  dee." 
"  Here  is  your  chief,"  the  Turk  replied, 
With  that  fell  on  his  bended  knee. 

31  "  Oh,  mercy,  mercy,  good  fellows  all, 

Mercy,  I  pray,  you'll  grant  to  me ; " 
"  Such  mercy  as  you  meant  to  give, 
'Such  mercy  we  shall  give  to  thee." 

32  This  Turk  they  in  his  castle  burnt, 

That  stood  upon  yon  hill  so  hie; 
John  Thomson's  gay  ladye  they  took, 
And  hang'd  her  on  the  greenwood  tree ! 


GLENKINDIE. 


"  The  hero  of  this  tale,"  writes  Jamieson,  "  seems  to  be  the 
celebrated  Welsh  bard,  '  Glaskirion,'  or  '  Kirion  the  Sallow ; '  of  whom 
some  notice  will  be  foimd  in  Owen's  Cambrian  Biography. 


GLENKINDIE.  257 


"  In  Chaucer's  '  Honse  of  Fame,'  he  is  classed  with  Orphens,  Anon, 
and  Chiron : — 

'  There  herde  I  play  on  a  harpe, 
That  Bowned  both  well  aud  sharpe, 
Hym  Orpheus  full  craftily; 
And  on  this  side  fast  by 
Sate  the  harper  Orion; 
And  Eacides  Chirion ; 
And  the  Briton  Glaskyrion.' 

"  The  Scottish  writers,  adapting  the  name  to  their  own  meridian,  call 
him  Glenkindy,  Glenskeenie,  &c." 

Douglas,  the  classic  Bishop  of  Dunkeld,  has,  in  his  "Palice  of 
Honour,"  followed  the  father  of  English  poetry  in  associating  "the 
Briton  Glaskyrion  "  with  Orpheus. 

The  only  Scotish  version  of  the  ballad  is  that  printed  under  the 
above  title  by  Jamieson,  in  his  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  92.  He 
states  that  it  is  there  "given,"  as  "taken  from  the  recitation  of  an 
old  woman,  by  Professor  Scott  of  Aberdeen,  and  somewhat  improved 
by  a  fragment  communicated  by  the  Rev.  William  Gray  of  Lincoln." 

The  ballad  entitled  "  Glasgerion,"  as  printed  by  Percy  from  his 
Folio  MS.,  may  be  found  in  the  Reliques  of  Ancient  English  Poetry, 
vol.  iii. ;  and  verbatim  in  the  printed  copy  of  the  Folio  MS.,  voL  i, 
p.  246. 

To  complete  the  story,  stanzas  8,  27,  and  28,  are  here  added  from 
Percy's  copy.  Stanzas  9,  14,  29,  31,  and  38,  are  also  either  altered 
or  adapted  from  one  or  other,  or  both,  of  the  versions  named. 

It  may  be  suggested,  that  something  closer  than  a  mere  similarity 
of  name,  and  of  skill  in  music,  may  subsist  between  the  classic  Chiron 
and  the  British  Glaskyrion. 

1  Glenkindie  he  was  a  harper  gude, 

He  harpit  to  the  king ; 
Glenkindie  he  was  the  best  harper 
That  e'er  harpit  on  string. 

2  He'd  harpit  a  fish  out  of  saut  water, 

Or  water  out  of  a  stane ; 
Or  milk  out  of  a  maiden's  breast, 
That  bairn  had  never  nane. 

3  He 's  ta'en  his  harp  intil  his  hand, 

He  harpit  and  he  sang ; 
And  aye  he  harpit  to  the  king, 
To  baud  him  unthought  lang. 

4  "I  will  gi'e  you  a  robe,  Glenkindie, 

A  robe  of  the  roj'al  pall, 
If  ye  will  harp  in  the  winter's  night 
Before  me  and  my  nobles  all." 
S 


268  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


5  The  king  but  and  his  nobles  all 

Sat  birling  at  the  wine  ; 
And  he  wou'd  ha'e  nane  but  his  ae  daughter 
To  wait  on  them  at  dine. 

6  He 's  ta'en  his  harp  intil  his  hand, 

He's  harpit  them  all  asleep, 
Except  it  was  the  young  princess, 
That  love  did  wauken  keep. 

7  And  first  he  has  harpit  a  grave  tune, 

And  syne  he  has  harpit  a  gay ; 
And  mony  a  sich*  atween  the  tunes 
I  wot  the  fair  lady  ga'e. 

8  "  Strike  on,  strike  on,  Glenkindie,"  she  said, 

"  Of  thy  striking  do  not  blin ; 
There 's  never  a  stroke  comes  o'er  thy  harp, 
But  it  glads  my  heart  within. 

9  "  And  come  ye  to  my  bow'r,"  she  said, 

"  Come  when  the  day  it  doth  dawn ; 
Come'  when  the  cocks  ha'e  flappit  their  wings, 
Ha'e  flappit  their  wings  and  crawn. 

10  "  But  look  ye  tell  na  Gib  your  man. 

Of  naething  that  ye  may  dee ; 
For,  an  ye  tell  him,  Gib  your  man, 
He'll  beguile  baith  you  and  me." 

11  He 's  ta'en  his  harp  intil  his  hand. 

He  harpit  and  he  sang; 
And  he  is  hame  to  Gib,  his  man, 
As  fast  as  be  cou'd  gang. 

12  "  Oh,  might  I  tell  you,  Gib,  my  man, 

If  I  a  man  had  slain?  " 
"  Oh,  that  you  might,  my  gude  master, 
Tho'  men  ye  had  slain  ten." 

13  "  Then  take  ye  tent  now,  Gib,  my  man, 

My  bidden  for  to  dee. 
And,  but  an  ye  waken  me  in  time, 
Ye  shall  be  hangit  hie. 

14  "  For  I  maun  haste  to  yon  ladye's  bow'r 

On  the  morn,  when  day  doth  dawn, 
As  sune  as  the  cocks  ha'e  flappit  their  wings, 
Ha'e  flappit  their  wings  and  crawn." 

*  "Sich: "  a  long-drawn  sigh. 


GLENKINDIE.  269 


15  "  Then  gae  to  your  bed,  my  gude  master, 

YeVe  waked,  I  fear,  ower  laug; 
But  I'll  waken  you  in  as  gude  time 
As  ony  cock  in  the  land." 

16  He 's  ta'en  the  harp  intil  his  hand, 

He  harpit  and  he  sang, 
Until  he  harpit  his  master  asleep, 
Syne  fast  awa  did  gang. 

17  And  he  is  till  that  ladye's  bow'r, 

As  fast  as  he  cou'd  rin; 
And  when  he  came  till  that  ladye's  bow'r 
He  tirl'd  at  the  pin. 

18  "  Oh,  wha  is  this,"  says  that  ladye, 

"  That  tirls  sae  at  the  pin?" 
"  It 's  I,  Glenkindie,  your  ain  true  love,— f 
Oh,  open  and  let  me  in!" 

19  She  kenn'd  he  was  nae  gentle  knight, 

That  she  had  letten  in; 
For  neither  when  he  gaed  nor  came, 
Kiss'd  he  her  cheek  nor  chin. 

20  He  neither  kiss'd  her  when  he  came, 

Nor  clapp'd  her  when  he  gaed ; 
And  in  and  out  at  her  bow'r  window 
The  moon  shone  like  the  gleed.* 

21  "  Oh,  raggit  are  your  hose,  Glenkindie, 

And  riven  are  your  sheen,f 

And  ravell'd  is  your  yellow  hair, 

That  I  saw  late  yestreen." 

22  "  The  hose  and  sheen  are  Gib  my  man's, 

They  came  first  to  my  hand; 
And  I've  ravell'd  all  my  yellow  hair. 
Corning  against  the  wind." 

23  He 's  ta'en  the  harp  intil  his  hand, 

He  harpit  and  he  sang, 
Until  he  came  to  his  master's  bed, 
As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang. 

24  "  Win  up,  win  up,  my  gude  master, 

I  fear  ye  sleep  ower  lang; 
There  is  nae  a  cock  in  all  the  land 
But  has  flapp'd  his  wings  and  crawn." 

•  Live  embers.  t  Shoes.    Aberdeenshire  dialect 


260  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


25  Glenkindie  's  ta'en  his  harp  in  hand, 

And  hastily  he  ran, 
And  he  has  reach'd  the  ladye's  bow'r, 
Afore  that  e'er  he  blan.* 

26  When  he  came  to  the  ladye's  bow'r, 

He  there  tirl'd  at  the  pin. 
"  Oh,  wha  is  that  at  my  bow'r  door. 

That  tirls  sae  to  get  in?" 
"  It 's  I,  Glenkindie,  your  ain  true  love, 

And  in  I  canna  win." 

27  "  Oh,  whether  have  you  left  with  me 

Your  bracelet  or  your  glove? 

Or  are  you  returned  back  again 

To  know  more  of  my  love?" 

28  Glenkindie  swore  a  fall  great  oath : 

"  By  oak,  and  ash,  and  thorn, 
Ladye,  I  was  ne'er  in  your  chamber 
Sith  the  time  that  I  was  bom." 

29  "  Forbid  it,  forbid  it,"  the  ladye  said, 

"  That  it  as  you  say  shou'd  be; 
For  if  it  be  sae,  then  Gib,  your  man, 
Hath  beguil'd  baith  you  and  me. 

80     "  Forbid  it,  forbid  it,"  the  ladye  said, 
"  That  e'er  sic  shame  betide; 
That  I  shou'd  first  be  a  wild  loon's  lass, 
And  then  a  young  knight's  bride." 

31  Then  she  has  ta'en  a  little  penknife, 

Hung  low  down  by  her  gair, 
And  she  has  gi'en  herself  with  it 
A  deep  wound  and  a  sair. 

32  There  was  nae  pity  for  that  ladye. 

For  she  lay  cauld  and  dead ; 

But  all  was  for  him,  Glenkindie — 

In  bow'r  he  there  gaed  mad. 

33  He 's  ta'en  his  harp  intil  his  hand, 

Sae  mournfully  it  rang. 
And  wae  and  weary  it  was  to  hear 
Glenkindie's  dowie  sang. 

*  •'Blan:"  stopped. 


SWEET  WILUE  AND   FAIR  ANNIE.  261 


34  But  cauld  and  dead  was  that  ladye, 

Nor  heeded  of  his  niaen; 
The'  he  wou'd  harp  on  till  doomsday, 
She  ne'er  will  speak  again. 

35  He 's  ta'en  his  harp  intil  his  hand, 

He  harpit  and  he  sang; 
And  he  is  hame  to  Gib,  his  man, 
As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang. 

36  "  Come  forth,  come  forth  now,  Gib,  my  man, 

Till  I  pay  you  your  fee ; 
Come  forth,  come  forth  now,  Gib,  my  man, 
For  weel  paid  ye  shall  be." 

37  And  he  has  ta'en  him,  Gib,  his  man, 

And  he  has  hang'd  him  hie, 
And  he 's  hang'd  him  o'er  his  ain  yett. 
As  high  as  high  cou'd  be. 

38  Next  set  the  puramil  of  his  sword 

Against  an  earth-fast  stone; 
Then  threw  himself  upon  the  point, 
And  died  without  a  groan. 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND  FAIR  ANNIE. 

"  Three  ballads,"  says  Mr.  Jamieson,  "  all  of  them  of  considerable 
merit,  on  the  same  subject,  are  to  be  found  in  vol.  iii.  of  the  Beliques 
of  Ancient  English  Poetry,  under  the  titles  of  '  Lord  Thomas  and  Fair 
Elinor,'  '  Fair  Margaret  and  Sweet  William,'  and  '  Lord  Thomas  and 
Fair  Annet ; '  the  latter  of  which  is  in  that  work  given  with  some  correc- 
tions, '  from  a  MS.  copy  transmitted  from  Scotland,'  and  supposed  to  be 
composed,  not  without  improvements,  out  of  the  two  former  ancient 
English  ones.  At  this  distance  of  time,  it  would  be  in  vain  to 
attempt  to  ascertain  which  was  the  original  and  which  the  imitation ; 
and,  I  think  it  extremely  probable  that,  in  their  origin,  they  were 
perfectly  independent  of  each  other,  and  both  derived  from  some  one 
of  those  fableaux,  romances,  or  tales,  which,  about  four  or  live  hun- 
dred years  ago,  were  so  famiharly  known,  in  various  forms,  over  a 
great  part  of  Europe,  that  it  would  even  then  have  been  difficult  to 
say  to  what  country  or  language  they  owed  their  birth.  The  text 
of  '  Lord  Thomas  and  Fair  Annet '  seems  to  have  been  adjusted, 
previous  to  its  leaving  Scotland,  by  some  one  who  was  more  of  a 
scholar  than  the  reciters  of  ballads  generally  are ;  and,  in  attempting 
to  give  it  an  antique  cast,  it  has  been  deprived  of  somewhat  of  that 
easy  facility  which  is  the  distinguished  characteristic  of  the  tradition- 
ary ballad  narrative.  With  the  text  of  the  ditty,"  printed  in  Popular 
Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  22,  under  the  above  title,  "no  such 


2G2  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


experiment  has  been  made.  It  is,"  says  Mr.  Jamieson,  "given  pure 
and  entire,  as  it  was  taken  down  by  the  editor,  from  the  recitation 
of  a  lady  in  Aberbrothick  (Mrs.  W.  Arrot),  to  whose  politeness  and 
friendship  this  [his]  collection  is  under  considerable  obligations.  She 
had  no  jjtevious  intimation  of  the  compiler's  visit,  or  of  his  under- 
taking ;  and  the  few  hours  he  spent  at  her  friendly  fireside  were  very 
busily  employed  in  writing.  As  she  had,  when  a  child,  learnt  the 
ballad  from  an  elderly  maid-servant,  and  probably  had  not  repeated 
it  for  a  dozen  of  years  before  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  introduced 
to  her ;  it  may  be  depended  upon,  that  every  line  was  recited  to  me 
as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  exact  form  in  which  she  learnt  it." 

There  is  a  similar  Swedish  ballad,  "  Herr  Peder  och  Liten  Kerstiu," 
in  the  Svenska  Folk- Visor,  i.,  49;  a  translation  of  which  may  be 
found  in  Literature  and  Romance  of  Northern  Europe,  by  William 
and  Mary  Howitt,  vol.  i.,  p.  258. 

1  Sweet  Willie  and  fair  Annie 

Sat  all  day  on  a  hill ; 
When  night  was  come  and  sun  was  set,* 
They  had  not  talk'd  their  fill. 

2  Sweet  Willie  said  a  word  in  haste, 

And  Annie  took  it  ill : 
"  I  winna  wed  a  tocherless  maid, 
Against  my  parent's  will." 

3  Oh,  Annie,  she 's  gane  till  her  bow'r, 

And  Willie  hied  him  down  ; 
He  hied  him  till  his  mither's  bow'r, 
By  the  lee  light  of  the  moon. 

4  "  Oh,  sleep  ye,  wake  ye,  mither  ?"  he  says, 

"  Or  are  ye  the  bow'r  within  ?  " 
"  I  sleep  richt  aft,  I  wake  richt  aft;f 
What  want  ye  with  me,  son  ? 

5  "  Where  ha'e  ye  been  all  night,  Willie? 

Oh,  wow  !  ye've  tarried  lang !" 
"  I  have  been  courtin'  fair  Annie, 
And  she  is  frae  me  gane. 

6  "  There  are  twa  maidens  in  a  bow'r; 

Which  of  them  shall  I  bring  hame? 
The  nut-brown  maid  has  sheep  and  kye, 
And  fair  Annie  has  nane." 

•  "  And  though  they  had  sitten  seven  years, 

They  ne'er  wad  had  their  flU."— Jamieson's  version, 
t  "That  is,  my  slumbers  aro  short,  broken,  and  interrupted;  a  characteristic  of  I 
age."— J. 


SWEET  WILLIE   AND  FAIR  ANNIE.  263 


7  "  It 's  an  ye  wed  the  nut-brown  maid, 

I'll  heap  gold  with  my  hand ; 
But  an  ye  wed  her,  fair  Annie, 
I'll  straik  it  with  a  wand, 

8  "  The  nut-brown  maid  has  sheep  and  kye, 

And  fair  Annie  has  nane ; 
And  the  little  beauty  Annie  has, 

Oh,  it  will  sune  be  gane ; 
Then,  Willie,  for  my  benison, 

The  nut-brown  maid  bring  hame." 

9  "  But,  alas,  alas !"  says  sweet  Willie, 

"  Oh,  fair  is  Annie's  face!" 
"  But  what 's  the  matter,  my  son,  Willie, 
She  has  nae  ither  grace." 

10  "  Alas,  alas  !"  says  sweet  Willie, 

"  But  white  is  Annie's  hand  I" 
"  But  what 's  the  matter,  my  son,  Willie, 
She  has  neither  gold  nor  land." 

11  "  But  sheep  will  die  in  their  cots,  mither. 

And  owsen  die  in  byre ; 
And  what  is  this  warld's  wealth  to  me, 
An  I  getna  my  heart's  desire  ?  " 

12  And  he  has  till  his  brother  gane : 

"  Now,  brother,  rede  ye  me — 
It 's  shall  I  marry  the  nut-brown  bride, 
And  let  fair  Annie  be?  " 

13  "  The  nut-brown  bride  has  sheep,  brother, 

The  nut-brown  bride  has  kye ; 
I  wou'd  ha'e  ye  marry  the  nut-brown  bride, 
And  cast  fair  Annie  by." 

14  "  Her  sheep  may  die  in  their  cots,  Billie, 

And  her  kye  in  the  byre ; 
And  I  shall  ha'e  nothing  to  mysel', 
But  a  fat  fadge  by  the  fire." 

15  And  he  has  till  his  sister  gane: 

"  Now,  sister,  rede  ye  me — 
Oh,  shall  I  marry  the  nut-brown  bride, 
And  set  fair  Annie  free  ?  " 

16  "  I'se  rede  ye  take  fair  Annie,  Willie, 

And  let  the  brown  bride  alane; 
Lest  you  shou'd  sigh  and  say — 'Alace! 
What  is  this  I've  brought  hame  ?  '  " 


264  BALLAD  MINSTBELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


17  "  No,  I  will  take  my  mother's  counsel, 

And  marry  me  out  of  hand; 
And  I  will  take  the  nut-brown  bride, 
And  let  fair  Annie  stand. 

18  "  Oh,  I  shall  wed  the  nut-brown  maid, 

And  I  shall  bring  her  hame ; 
But  peace  nor  rest  I  ne'er  shall  ha'e, 
Till  death  part  us  again. 

19  "  "Where  will  I  get  a  bonnie  boy, 

Wou'd  fain  win  hose  and  shoon. 
That  will  rin  to  fair  Annie's  bow'r. 
With  the  lee  light  of  the  moon  ? 

20  "  Ye'U  tell  her  to  come  to  Willie's  weddin' 

The  mom,  by  twelve  at  noon; 
Ye'll  tell  her  to  come  to  Willie's  weddin'. 
The  heir  of  Duplin  town.* 

21  "  She  maunna  put  on  the  black,  the  black, 

Nor  yet  the  dowie  brown ; 
But  the  scarlet  red,  and  the  kerches  white, 
And  her  fair  locks  hangin'  down." 

22  The  bonnie  boy  ran  to  Annie's  bow'r. 

And  tirl'd  at  the  pin. 
And  tauld  his  message  to  hersel', 
As  she  open'd  to  let  him  in. 

23  "  Oh,  I  will  gang  to  WiUie's  weddin' 

The  morn,  by  twelve  at  noon; 
Oh,  I  will  gang  to  Willie's  weddin', 
But  I'll  die  ere  day  be  dune. 

24  "  My  maids,  come  to  my  dressin'  room, 

And  dress  to  me  my  hair ; 

Where'er  ye  laid  a  plait  before, 

See  ye  lay  ten  times  mair. 

25  "  My  maids,  come  to  my  dressin'  room, 

And  dress  to  me  my  smock; 
The  one-half  is  of  the  Holland  fine, 
The  other  of  needle-work. 

•  "  Duplin  toten. — Duplin  is  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Kinnonl,  from  which  he  deriTOs 
his  title  of  Viscount  It  is  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Perth.  This  copy  of  the  ballad  was 
taken  from  the  current  traditionary  manner  of  reciting  it  in  that  part  of  the  country ; 
and  it  is  observable  that  ballads  are  very  frequently  adapted  to  the  meridian  of  the 
place  where  they  are  found:  so  that  the  same  parts  and  characters  are  given  to 
persons  of  different  names  and  ranks  in  life,  in  different  parts  of  the  country." 
— Jamieson. 


I 


SWEET  WILLIE  AND  FAIR  ANNIE.  265 


26  "  My  maids,  come  to  my  dressin'  room, 

And  busk  me  in  silken  sheen  ; 
And  let  us  gae  to  St.  Mary's  kirk, 
To  see  that  rich  weddin'. 

27  "  My  maids,  come  to  my  dressin'  room, 

And  busk  me  fair  and  fine ; 
But  ere  the  day  comes  to  an  end. 
The  death-mass  will  be  mine." 

28  The  horse  fair  Annie  rade  upon, 

He  amblit  like  the  wind ; 
With  siller  he  was  shod  before. 
With  burning  gowd  behind. 

29  Four-and-twenty  siller  bells 

Were  all  tied  till  his  mane; 
And  at  ilka  tift  of  the  norland  wind, 
They  tinkled  ane  by  ane. 

30  Four-and-twenty  gay  gude  knights 

Rade  by  fair  Annie's  side. 
And  four-and-twenty  fair  ladies. 
As  if  she  were  a  bride. 

31  And  when  she  came  to  Mary's  kirk, 

She  sat  on  Mary's  stane; 
The  cleading  that  fair  Annie  had  on, 
It  skinkled  in  their  een. 

82    And  when  she  came  into  the  kirk. 
She  shimmer'd  like  the  sun  ; 
The  belt  that  was  about  her  waist 
Was  with  pearls  all  bedone. 

33  She  sat  her  by  the  nut-brown  bride, 

And  her  een  they  were  sae  clear ; 
Sweet  Willie  clean  forgot  the  bride, 
When  fair  Annie  drew  near. 

34  He  had  a  rose  into  his  hand, 

And  he  gave  it  kisses  three, 
And,  reaching  by  the  nut-brown  bride. 
Laid  it  on  Annie's  knee.* 

•  The  three  following  highly  poetical  stanzas  occur  at  this  place  in  Jamieson's 
TersioD  :— 

"  Willie 's  ta'en  a  rose  out  of  his  hat, 
Laid  it  in  Annie's  lap; 
'The  bonniest  to  the  bonniest  fa's; 
Ha'e,  wear  it  for  my  sake.' 
•• '  Take  up  and  wear  your  rose,  Willie, 
As  lang  as  it  will  last; 
For,  like  your  love,  its  sweetness  all 
Will  soon  be  gane  and  past. 


266  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 

35  Up  then  spake  the  nut-brown  bride, 

She  spake  with  meikle  spite; 
"  And  where  got  ye  that  rose-water, 
Makes  ye  sae  fair  and  white?" 

36  "  Oh,  I  did  get  that  rose-water 

Where  ye'll  ne'er  get  the  same; 
For  I  did  get  that  rose-water 
Ere  to  the  light  I  came. 

37  "  But  yeVe  been  wash'd  in  dunnie  well, 

And  dried  on  dunnie  dyke ; 
And  all  the  water  in  the  sea 
Cou'd  never  wash  ye  white." 

38  The  bride  she  drew  a  long  bodkin 

Frae  out  her  gay  head-gear, 
And  strake  fair  Annie  to  the  heart, 
That  word  she  ne'er  spake  mair. 

39  Sweet  William  he  saw  fair  Annie  wax  pale,  ' 

And  marvell'd  what  mote  be;  y 

But  when  he  saw  her  dear  heart's  bluid,  | 

It 's  wud-wroth  then  wax'd  he. 

40  He  drew  his  dagger  was  sae  sharp, 

That  was  sae  sharp  and  meet. 
And  drave  it  into  the  nut-brown  bride, 
Who  fell  de&d  at  his  feet. 

41  "  Now  stay  for  me,  dear  Annie,"  he  said, 

"  Now  stay,  my  dear,"  he  cried ; 
Then  strake  the  dagger  intil  his  heart. 
And  fell  dead  by  her  side. 

42  Sweet  Willie  was  buried  without  the  kirk  wall, 

Fair  Annie  within  the  quire  ; 
And  of  the  ane  there  grew  a  birk, 
The  other  a  bonnie  brier. 

43  And  aye  they  grew,  and  aye  they  threw. 

As  they  wou'd  fain  be  near ; 
And  by  this  ye  may  ken  right  weei, 
They  were  twa  lovers  dear. 

"  'Wear  ye  the  rose  of  love,  'Willie, 
And  I  the  thorn  of  care ; 
For  the  woman  shall  never  bear  a  son 
That  win  make  my  heart  sae  sair.' " 
The  third  line  of  the  first  of  these  stanzas  was  "an  interpolation  '  of  Jamieson'a 
own ;  and  the  other  two  stanzas  were  manufactured  out  of  the  following,  as  taken 
down  by  him  from  Mrs.  Arrot's  recitation : — 

"  Take  up  and  wear  your  rose,  Willie, 
And  wear't  with  mickle  care; 
For  the  woman  sail  never  bear  a  son. 
That  will  make  my  heart  sae  sair." 


I 


FAIK  ANNIE'S   GHOST.  267 


FAIR  ANNIE'S  GHOST. 

The  following  stanzas  form  the  conclusion  of  the  preceding  ballad, 
according  to  Mr.  Jamieson's  version. 

They  strongly  resemble  the  latter  portion  of  "  Fair  Margaret  and 
Sweet  Willie,"  as  the  termination  of  the  preceding  does  that  of 
"  Lord  Thomas  and  Fair  Elinor."     See  preceding  introduction. 

1  When  night  was  come  and  day  was  gane, 

And  all  men  boun  to  bed, 
Sweet  Willie  and  his  nut-brown  bride 
In  their  chamber  were  laid. 

2  But  they  had  scarcely  lain  down, 

And  werena  fa'n  asleep. 
When  up  and  stands  she,  fair  Annie, 
Just  up  at  Willie's  feet. 

3  "  Weel  brook  ye  of  your  nut-brown  bride, 

Between  ye  and  the  wall ; 
And  sae  will  I  of  my  winding-sheet. 
That  suits  me  best  of  all. 

4  "  Weel  brook  ye  of  your  nut-br6wn  bride. 

Between  ye  and  the  stock ; 
And  sae  will  I  of  my  black,  black  kist,* 
That  has  neither  key  nor  lock, 

5  "  Weel  brook  ye  of  your  nut-brown  bride, 

And  of  your  bridal  bed ; 
And  sae  will  I  of  the  cauld,  cauld  mools. 
That  sune  will  hap  my  head." 

6  Sad  Willie  raise,  put  on  his  claise, 

Drew  till  him  his  hose  and  shoon ; 
And  he  is  on  to  Annie's  bow'r. 
By  the  lee  light  of  the  moon. 

7  The  firsten  bow'r  that  he  came  till, 

There  was  right  dowie  wark; 

Her  mother  and  her  three  sisters 

Were  makin'  to  Annie  a  sark. 

8  The  nexten  bow'r  that  he  came  till. 

There  was  right  dowie  cheer ; 

Her  father  and  her  seven  brethren 

Were  makin'  to  Annie  a  bier. 

•  "Black  kist:  "  the  coffin- 


268  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     The  lasten  bow'r  that  he  came  till, 
Oh,  heavy  was  his  care! 
The  dead  candles  were  burning  bright, 
And  fair  Annie  streekit  *  there. 

10  ''  It 's  I  will  kiss  your  bonnie  cheek, 

And  I  will  kiss  your  chin, 
And  I  will  kiss  your  clay-cauld  lip; 
But  I'll  ne'er  kiss  woman  again. 

11  "  And  that  I  was  in  love  outdone 

Shall  ne'er  be  said  of  me ; 
For  as  ye've  died  for  me,  Annie, 
Sae  will  I  do  for  thee. 

12  "  This  day  ye  birl  at  Annie's  wake 

The  white  bread  and  the  wine ; 

Before  the  morn,  at  twelve  o'clock, 

They'll  birl  the  same  at  mine." 

13  The  ane  was  buried  in  Mary's  kirk, 

The  other  in  Mary's  quire; 
And  out  of  the  ane  there  grew  a  birk, 
And  out  of  the  other  a  brier. 

14  And  aye  they  grew,  and  aye  they  drew, 

As  they  would  fain  be  near; 
And  every  ane  that  pass'd  them  by, 
Said — "  Thae  's  been  lovers  dear  I " 


CLERK  TAMMAS. 


From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  43;  and  note, 
p.  294.  See  ante,  p.  13.  Mr.  Buchan  saj'^s  : — "This  ballad  bears  all 
the  characteristics  of  antiquity.  It  seems  rather  of  a  romantic  kind, 
although  in  many  places  allegorical. " 

1  Clerk  Tammas  loved  her,  fair  Annie, 

As  well  as  Mary  loved  her  son: 
But  now  he  hates  her,  fair  Annie, 
And  hates  the  land  that  she  lives  on. 

2  "  Ohon,  alas!"  said  fair  Annie, 

"  Alas  I  this  day  I  fear  I'll  dee ; 
But  I  will  on  to  sweet  Tammas, 
And  see  if  he  will  pity  me." 

"Streekit: "  stretched,  or  laid  ont 


CLERK   TAMMAS.  269 


i 


3  As  Tammas  lay  o'er  his  shott-window, 

Just  as  the  sun  was  gaein'  down, 
There  he  beheld  her,  fair  Annie, 
As  she  came  walking  to  the  town. 

4  "  Oh,  where  are  all  my  well-wight  men, 

I  wot  that  I  pay  meat  and  fee, 
For  to  let  all  my  hounds  gang  loose, 
To  hunt  this  vile  wench  to  the  sea?" 

5  The  hounds  they  knew  the  ladye  well, 

And  nane  of  them  they  wou'd  her  bite. 
Save  ane  that  was  named  Gaudy- where; 
I  wot  he  did  the  ladye  smite. 

6  **  Oh,  wae  mot  worth  ye,  Gaudy-where, 

An  ill  reward  this  is  to  me; 
For  ae  bit  that  I  ga'e  the  lave, 
I'm  very  sure  I've  gi'en  you  three. 

7  "  For  me,  alas !  there 's  nae  remeid. 

Here  comes  the  day  that  I  maun  dee; 
I  ken  ye  love  your  master  well, 
And  sae  did  I,  alas  for  me ! " 

8  A  captain  lay  o'er  his  ship  window, 

Just  as  the  sun  was  gaein'  down ; 
There  he  beheld  her,  fair  Annie, 
As  she  was  hunted  frae  the  town.  " 

9  "  If  ye'll  forsake  father  and  mother. 

If  ye'll  forsake  your  friends  and  kin ; 
If  ye'll  forsake  your  lands  sae  broad. 
Then  come,  and  I  will  take  you  in." 

10  "  Yes,  I'll  forsake  father  and  mother, 

And  sae  will  I  my  friends  and  kin; 
Yes,  I'll  forsake  my  lands  sae  broad. 
And  come,  if  ye  will  take  me  in." 

11  Then  a'  thing  gaed  frae  fause  Tammas, 

And  there  was  naethiug  bade  him  wi' ; 
Then  he  thought  lang  for  Annandale, — 
It  was  fair  Annie  for  to  see. 

12  "  How  do  ye  now,  ye  sweet  Tammas? 

And  how  gaes  all  in  your  countrie?" 
"  I'll  do  better  to  you  than  ever  I've  done, 
Fair  Annie,  if  ye'll  come  and  see." 


270  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


13  "  Oh,  Gude  forbid,"  said  fair  Annie, 

"  That  e'er  the  like  fall  in  my  hand; 
Wou'd  I  forsake  my  ain  gude  lord, 
And  follow  you  a  gae-through-land? 

14  "  Yet,  nevertheless  now,  sweet  Tammas, 

Ye'll  drink  a  cup  of  wine  with  me; 
And  nine  times,  in  the  live-lang  day, 
Your  fair  claithing  shall  changed  be." 

15  Fair  Annie  put  it  till  her  cheek, 

Sae  did  she  till  her  milk-white  chin ; 
Sae  did  she  till  her  flatterin'  lips, 
But  never  a  drap  of  wine  gaed  in. 

16  Tammas  put  it  till  his  cheek, 

Sae  did  he  till  his  dimpled  chin ; 
He  put  it  till  his  rosy  lips, 
And  then  the  well  of  wine  gaed  in. 

17  "  These  pains,"  said  he,  "  are  ill  to  bide ; 

Here  is  the  day  that  I  maun  die  : 
Oh,  take  this  cup  frae  me,  Annie, 
For  of  the  same  I  am  weary." 

18  "  And  sae  was  I  of  you,  Tammas, 

When  I  was  hunted  to  the  sea; 
But  I'se  gar  bury  you  in  state. 

Which  is  mair  than  ye'd  done  to  me." 


LOED  WILLIAM. 


"  A  fragment  of  this  gloomy  and  impressive  romance  was  published 
in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  148."     (See  next  page.) 

Five  versions,  more  or  less  complete,  appeared  subsequently.  They 
are: — 

I.  "Lord  WiUiam,"  ia  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  23.  This 
version  was  communicated  by  the  Ettrick  Shepherd, 
accompanied  by  a  note,  in  which  he  states  that  he  can 
"trace  it  back  several  generations,  but  cannot  hear  of 
its  ever  being  in  print. " 
XL  "Earl  Richard,"  same  work  and  volume,  p.  184.  Collated 
from  "two  ballads  in  Mr.  Herd's  MSS.  upon  the  follow- 
ing story,  in  one  of  which  the  unfortimate  knight  is 
termed  '  Young  Huntin. ' " 
IIL  "Earl  Richard,"  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  218.  "Given 
from  recitation." 


LORD   WILLIAM.  271 


IV.  "Young  Kedin,"  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  1. 
"Eccovered,"  says  Mr.  Kinloch,  "from  the  recitation  of 
Miss  E.  Beattie,  of  Edinburgh,  a  native  of  Mearnshire, 
who  sings  it  to  a  plaintive,  though  somewhat  monotonous, 
air  of  one  measure." 

V.  "Young  Huntin,"  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  i., 
p.  118.  "Though  last  on  the  stage  of  public  criticism," 
says  Mr.  Buchan,  "  is  not  the  least  in  poetical  merit ; — 
it  is  superior  to  all  those  which  have  preceded  it,  and 
now  for  the  first  time  printed  in  a  complete  and  per- 
fect state,  -with,  beauties  that  are  not  to  be  found  in  any 
of  the  other  fragment.s." — Note,  p.  303. 

"In the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  1794,  vol.  Ixiv.,  part  i.,  p.  553,  there 
is  a  modern  ballad  of  extremely  perverted  orthography  and  vicious 
style  (meant  for  ancient),  in  which  the  twenty  [twenty-eight?]  lines  of 
Herd's  fragment  are  interwoven  with  an  altogether  different  story. 
It  is  printed,  as  authentic,  in  Scarce  Ancient  Ballads,  Aberdeen, 
1822." — Professor  Child,  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  iii.,  p.  3. 

The  opening  stanzas  of  "  Sir  Roland,"  ante,  p.  171,  are  similar  in 
incident ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  the  first  stanza  of  it,  and  the 
fourth  of  the  following,  the  ballads  differ  entirely  in  phraseology  and 
treatment ;  while  the  retributive  catastrophes  of  the  latter  portion 
differ  in  toto. 

The  ballad  which  follows  has  been  compiled  from  the  versions 
named  above,  and  numbered  I.  to  V. 

On  account  of  the  number  of  versions,  their  numerous  minor 
differences,  and  the  inconsistencies  which  more  or  less  pervade  them 
all,  and  particularly  the  "  Earl  Kichard  "  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  it  has 
been  thought  not  only  necessary,  but  proper,  to  exercise  some  degree 
of  licence  "in  the  work  of  collation ;  while,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity 
and  consistency  of  style,  the  language  an^  orthography  of  the  various 
versions  have  been  here  modernized. 

The  notes  are  from  the  pen  of  Sir  Walter  Scott :  the  narratives  of 
cases  cited  by  him  in  the  last  note  are,  however,  omitted,  while  the 
references  are  retained. 

The  following  is  the  fragment  which  originally  appeared  in  Herd's 
Scottish  Songs : — 


•*  She  has  call'd  to  her  bow'r-maidens, 
She  has  call'd  them  one  by  one; 
'There  is  a  dead  man  in  my  bow'r, 
I  wish  that  he  was  gone.' 

"  They  have  booted  him,  and  spurr'd  him, 
As  he  was  wont  to  ride : 
A  hunting-horn  around  his  waist, 
A  sharp  sword  by  his  side. 

"  Then  up  and  spake  a  bonnie  bird, 
That  sat  upon  the  tree,— 
'What  ha'e  ye  done  with  Earl  Bichard, 
Ye  was  his  gay  ladye  ? ' 


1 


272  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLANDr 


"  '  Come  down,  come  down,  my  bomiie  bird. 
Come,  sit  upon  my  hand; 
And  ye  shall  ha'e  a  cage  of  the  gowd, 
"Where  ye  ha'e  but  the  wand.' 

"  '  Awa,  awa,  ye  ill  woman, 
Nae  ill  woman  for  me; 
What  ye  ha'e  done  to  Earl  Eichard, 
Sae  wad  ye  do  to  me.' 


' '  Oh,  there 's  a  bird  within  your  bowV, 
That  sings  sae  sad  and  sweet; 
Oh.  there 's  a  bird  intil  your  bow'r, 
Kept  me  f  rae  my  night's  sleep.' 


'  And  she  sware  by  the  grass  sae  green, 

Sae  did  she  by  the  com. 
That  she  had  not  8= en  Earl  Eichard 
Syne  yesterday  at  mom." 


1  Lord  William  was  the  bravest  knight 

That  dwelt  in  fair  Scotland; 
And  though  renown'd  in  foreign  lands. 
Fell  by  a  ladye's  hand. 

2  And  he  has  forth  a-hunting  gone, 

As  fast  as  he  cou'd  ride, 
With  hunting-horn  hung  round  his  neck, 
And  a  small  sword  by  his  side. 

3  Ladye  Maisry  forth  from  her  bow'r  came. 

Then  on  her  tow'r-head  stood; 
And  thought  she  heard  a  bridle  ring, 
Down  by  the  shady  wood. 

4  Lord  William  then  came  riding  up, 

And  tirl'd  at  the  pin ; 
Ladye  Maisry  hasted  from  the  tow'r, 
To  open  and  let  him  in. 

5  "  Good  morrow,  good  morrow,  Ladye  Maisry, 

God  make  you  safe  and  free; 
I'm  come  to  take  my  last  farewell, 
My  last  farewell  of  thee." 

6  "  Then  light,  oh  light,  Lord  William,"  she  said, 

"  And  stay  with  me  this  night; 
You  shall  have  cheer  with  charcoal  red,* 
And  candles  burning  bright." 

•  " '  Charcoal  red.'  This  circumstance  marks  the  antiquity  of  the  poem.  Whlla 
■wood  was  plenty  in  Scotland,  charcoal  was  the  usual  fuel  in  the  chambers  of  the 
wealthy."— Scott 


LORD  WILU^iM.  '  273 


7  "I  cannot  light,  I  will  not  light: 

The  truth  I  will  thee  tell; 
A  fairer  ladye  than  ten  of  thee 
Meets  me  at  Brannan's  well. 

8  "  Oh,  the  very  sole  of  that  ladye's  foot, 

Than  thy  face  is  far  more  white ; 
And  I  am  sworn  at  Brannan's  well 
To  meet  with  her  this  night." 

9  "  Then  if  your  love  be  changed,"  she  said, 

"  And  better  may  not  be, 
At  least  ye  will,  for  auld  lang  syne. 
Come  taste  the  wine  with  me." 

10  "  I  will  not  stay,  I  cannot  stay, 

To  drink  the  wine  with  thee: 
A  ladye  I  love  better  far. 
Is  waiting  now  for  me." 

11  He  leant  him  o'er  his  saddle-bow, 

To  kiss  ere  they  did  part ; 
And  with  a  bodkin  sharp  and  keen, 
She  pierc'd  him  to  the  heart. 

12  "  Ride  on,  ride  on.  Lord  William,  now, 

As  fast  as  you  can  ride; 
Your  new  love  at  St.  Brannan's  well 
Will  wonder  why  ye  bide." 

13  It 's  out  then  spake  a  popinjaj^, 

Sat  high  upon  a  tree : 
"  How  cou'd  you  kill  that  noble  lord? 
He  came  to  marry  thee." 

14  Up  then  spake  the  popinjay. 

As  it  flew  o'er  her  head: 
"  Ladye,  keep  well  your  green  clothing 
Free  from  the  blood  so  red." 

15  "  Oh,  I  will  keep  my  green  clothing 

Free  from  the  blood  so  red, 
Better  than  thou  canst  keep  thy  tongue. 
That  prattles  in  thy  head. 

IG     "  But  come  thou  down,  thou  bonnie  bird, 
Nor  hop  from  tree  to  tree ; 
I'll  give  to  thee  a  cage  of  gold. 
And  with  white  bread  feed  thee." 
T 


274  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  "  Keep  your  good  cage  of  gold,  ladye, 

And  I  will  keep  my  tree; 
As  ye  have  done  to  Lord  William, 
So  wou'd  ye  do  to  me." 

******* 

18  "  Oh,  long,  long  is  the  winter  night, 

And  slowly  dawns  the  day ; 
A  slain  knight  lyes  close  by  my  bow'r, 
And  I  wish  he  were  away." 

19  Up  then  spake  her  bow'r-maiden. 

And  she  spake  out  with  spite: 
"  If  there  be  a  slain  knight  near  your  bow'r, 
It's  yourself  that  has  the  wyte."* 

20  "  Oh,  heal  f  this  deed  on  me,  Katherine, 

Oh,  heal  this  deed  on  me, 
And  the  silks  were  shapen  for  my  wear, 
They  shall  be  sew'd  for  thee." 

21  The  one  has  ta'en  him  by  the  feet. 

The  other  by  the  head. 
And  the  deepest  pot  ^  of  Clyde's  water 
They  made  his  burial  bed. 

22  It 's  up  then  spake  the  popinjay, 

As  it  sat  on  a  tree : 
"  Go  home,  go  home,  thou  false  ladye, 
And  pay  your  maid  her  fee." 
******* 

23  Now  it  did  chance  that  very  day 

The  King  was  bound  to  ride ; 
And  he  has  sent  for  Lord  William, 
To  ride  forth  by  his  side. 

24  Many  a  lord  and  many  a  knight  x 

Sought  for  him  all  around ;  | 

They  sought  him  up,  they  sought  him  down,  \ 

But  he  cou'd  not  be  found.  '; 

25  Then  they  call'd  the  Ladye  Maisry,  * 

And  she  swore  by  the  thorn:  ■  i_ 

"  I  have  not  seen  good  Lord  William  ^ 

Since  early  yestermorn. 

•  "  Wyte : "  blame.  t  "  Heal : "  conceal. 

t  The  deep  holes  scooped  in  the  rock  by  the  eddies  of  a  river  are  called  pots, 
the  motion  of  the  water  having  there  some  resemblance  to  a  boiling  caldron. 
Linn  means  the  pool  beneath  a  cataract 


LeRD  WILLIAM.  275 


2Q     "  He  rode  by  way  of  Clyde  water; 
And  mucn  it  feareth  me, 
That  if  he  tried  to  ride  the  stream, 
He  therein  drown'd  must  be." 

27  "  Go  dive,  go  dive,"  the  King  loud  cried, 

"  Go  dive  for  gold  and  fee ; 
Who  dives  there,  for  Lord  William's  sake. 
Shall  well  rewarded  be." 

28  They  sought  Clyde  water  up  and  down, 

They  sought  it  in  and  out; 
But  Lord  William  or  Lord  William's  corpse 
They  found  nowhere  about. 

29  Then  up  it  spake  the  popinjay, 

As  it  flew  overhead: 
"  Dive  on,  dive  on,  ye  divers  all, 
For  there  he  lyes  indeed. 

30  ''  But  leave  off  diving  by  the  day. 

Leave  off  till  it  be  night; 
Then,  where  that  saikless  *  knight  lyes  slain, 
The  candles  will  bum  bright."  f 

31  They  left  off  diving  by  the  day, 

And  waited  till  the  night; 
Then,  where  that  saikless  knight  lay  slain. 
The  candles  burned  bright. 

32  In  the  deepest  pot  of  Clyde  water 

Lord  William's  corpse  was  found; 
With  boots,  spurs,  sword,  and  hunting-horn. 
As  he  to  hunt  went  bound. 

33  Then  up  and  spake  the  King  himself, 

When  he  saw  the  deadly  wound: 
"  Oh!  who  has  slain  my  right-hand  man. 
That  held  my  hawk  and  hound?  " 

*  "Saikless:"  guiltless. 

t  These  are  nnqnestionably  the  corjjse-lights,  called  in  Wales  "Canhwyllan  Cyrph," 
■which  are  sometimes  seen  to  illuminate  the  spot  where  a  dead  body  is  concealed. 
The  editor  is  informed  that,  some  years  ago,  the  corpse  of  a  man  drowned  in 
the  Ettrick,  below  Selkirk,  was  discovered  by  means  of  these  candles.  Such 
lights  are  common  in  churchyards,  and  are  probably  of  a  phosphoric  nature. 
But  rustic  superstition  derives  them  from  supernatural  agency,  and  supposes  that, 
as  soon  as  life  has  departed,  a  pale  flame  appears  at  the  window  of  the  house 
in  which  the  person  had  died,  and  glides  towards  the  churchyard,  tracing  through 
every  winding  the  route  of  the  future  funeral,  and  pausing  where  the  bier  is  to 
rest^  This  and  other  opinions,  relating  to  the  "tomb-flre's  livid  gleam,"  seem  to 
be  of  Bimic  extraction. 


276  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


34  Then  up  and  spake  the  popinjay; 

Says — "  What  needs  all  this  din? 
It  was  his  leman  took  his  life, 
And  threw  him  in  the  linn." 

35  Yet  still  she  swore  by  grass  so  green, 

By  corn  and  by  thorn, 
That  she  Lord  William  had  not  seen 
Since  yesterday  at  morn. 

86  "  It  must  have  been  my  bow'r-woman; 

Oh,  ill  may  her  betide ! 
For  I  ne'er  wou'd  slain  Lord  William, 
And  thrown  him  in  the  Clyde." 

87  The  King  he  call'd  upon  his  men. 

To  hew  down  wood  and  thorn; 
And  there  to  build  a  strong  baile-fire, 
The  bow'r-maiden  to  burn. 

88  Then  they  built  up  a  strong  baile-fire,    . 

To  burn  that  maiden  in; 
But  it  would  not  light  upon  her  cheek, 
Nor  yet  upon  her  chin; 

39  Nor  yet  upon  her  yellow  hair, 

To  cleanse  the  deadly  sin; 
But  it  took  upon  the  cruel  hands 
That  help'd  to  throw  him  in. 

40  The  maiden  touch'd  the  clay-cold  corpse, 

A  drop  it  never  bled ; 
But  when  the  ladye  touch'd  the  corpse, 
The  blood  came  gushing  red. 

41  Then  they've  ta'en  out  the  bow'r-woman, 

And  they've  put  the  ladye  in : 
The  flame  took  fast  upon  her  cheek. 
And  fast  upon  her  chin ; 

42  And  faster  on  the  cruel  hand, 

That  wrought  the  deadly  sin ; 
Until  the  ladye's  fair  body 
Was  burn'd  like  holyn  green.* 

♦"Holyn  green:"  green  holly.  The  lines  immediately  preceding,  "The  maiden 
touched,"  &c.,  and  which  are  restored  from  tradition,  refer  to  a  superstition 
formerly  received  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  and  even  resorted  to  by  judicial 
authority,  for  the  discoveiy  of  murder.  In  Germany,  this  experiment  was  call  d 
liahr-reoht,  or  the  law  of  the  bier;  because,  the  murdered  body  being  stretched 
upon  a  bier,  the  suspected  person  was  obliged  to  put  cue  hand  upon  the  wound, 


TOUNG  JOHNSTONE.  277 


YOUNG  JOHNSTONE. 

"A  fragment  of  this  fine  old  ballad"  was  publismed  by  Herd, 
under  the  title  of  "The  Cruel  Knight,"  in  his  Scottish  Songs,  vol. 
i.,  p.  165 ;  but  "  for  the  first  complete  copy  the  public  is  indebted  to 
Mr.  Finlay,  of  Glasgow,  in  whose  collection  (of  Scottish  Historical  and 
Romantic  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  72)  it  appeared."  Mr.  Finlay's  version 
was,  as  he  informs  us,  "  completed  from  two  recited  copies."  It  was 
followed  by  a  similar,  but  still  more  complete  version,  also  "obtained 
from  recitation;"  which,  with  "a  few  verbal  emendations"  from 
"  Mr.  Finlay's  copy,"  was  given  in  his  Minstrelsy,  p.  193,  by  Mr. 
Motherwell,  accompanied  with  the  following  explanatory  statement : — 

"  The  reciters  of  old  ballads  frequently  supply  the  best  commen- 
taries upon  them,  when  any  obscurity  or  want  of  connection  appears 
in  the  poetical  narrative.  This  ballad,  as  it  stands,  throws  no  light 
on  young  Johnstone's  motive  for  stabbing  his  lady ;  but  the  person 
from  whose  lips  it  was  taken  down  alleged  that  the  barbarous  act  was 
committed  unwittingly,  through  young  Johnstone's  suddenly  waking 
from  his  sleep,  and,  in  that  moment  of  confusion  and  alarm,  unhappily 
mistaking  his  mistress  for  one  of  his  pursuers.  It  is  not  improbable 
but  the  ballad  may  have  had  at  one  time  a  stanza  to  the  above  effect, 
the  substance  of  which  is  still  remembered,  though  the  words  in 
which  it  was  couched  have  been  forgotten.  At  all  events,  it  is  a 
more  likely  inference  than  that  which  Mr.  Gilchrist  has  chosen  to 
draw  from  the  premises.  See  A  Collection  of  Ancient  and  Modern 
Scottish  Ballads,  Tales,  and  Songs,  with  Explanatory  Notes  and 
Observations,  by  John  Gilchrist,  vol.  i.,  p.  185,  Edin.,  1815." 

The  hiatus  here  referred  to  by  Mr.  Motherwell  was  shortly  after 
filled  by  the  appearance  of  another  version  of  the  ballad,  under  the 
title  of  "Lord  John's  Murder,"  in  Mr.  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  20,  which  version  contains  a  stanza  answering  to  the  prose 
rider  of  Mr.  Motherwell's  reciter.  It  occurs  in  the  text,  in  a  slightly 
amended  form,  as  stanza  26. 

Motherwell's  version  is  the  one  generally  followed  in  the  text  here 
given;  but  stanza  21  has  been  substituted  from  "The  Cruel  Knight," 
m  place  of  the  corresponding  stanza  in  Motherwell.  Stanzas  14,  20, 
and  the  first  two  lines  of  16,  are  also  added  from  the  same  source. 
The  last  two  lines  of  stanzas  22  and  25  have  been  substituted  for  those 

and  the  other  upon  the  mouth  of  the  deceased,  and,  in  that  posture,  call  upon 
Heaven  to  attest  his  innocence.  If,  durin/  this  ceremony,  the  blood  gushed  from 
the  month,  nose,  or  wound — a  circumstance  not  unlikely  to  happen  in  the  course  of 
shifting  or  stirring  the  body — it  w  s  held  sufficient  evidence  of  the  guilt  of  the  party. 

The  same  singular  kind  of  evidence,  although  reprobated  by  Malthaeus  and 
Carpzovius,  was  admitted  in  the  Scottish  criminal  courts,  at  the  short  distance  of 
one  century. 

[The  cases  narrated  by  Scott  are  those  of  Muir,  laird  of  Anchindrane,  in  Ayrshire 
(lull),  from  Wodrow's  Hutory,  vol.  i..  p.  513;  and  Hume's  Criminal  Laws,  vol.  i.,  p. 
428:  of  Philip  Standfleld  (30th  Nov.,  1687).  from  Fountainhall's  Decisions,  vol  i.,  p. 
483 :  and  another  at  the  classic  stream  of  Yarrow,  as  communicated  to  him  by  '■  an 
ingenious  correspondent." 

An  instance  of  the  prevalence  of  this  belief,  in  comparatively  recent  times,  is  cited 
by  Kinloch  (p.  12),  from  Telfair's  Trite  Relation  oj  an  Apparition,  &c.,  1695 ;  and  one 
still  moi-e  recent,  as  '  practised  at  Aberdeen,"  within  the  recollection  of  Mr.  Kinloch, 
namely,  some  time  about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.] 


278  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


subjoined  in  the  notes ;  the  first  two  lines  of  stanza  23  added,  with  the 
view  of  completing  the  sense ;  and  a  few  verbal  changes  made,  it  is 
hoped,  not  only  without  violence,  but  rather  with  improvement,  to 
the  text. 

1  Young  Johnstone  and  the  young  Col'nel 

Sat  drinking  at  the  wine  : 
"Oh,  if  ye  wou'd  marry  my  sister, 
It's  I  wou'd  marry  thine." 

2  "I  wou'dna  marry  your  sister 

For  all  your  houses  and  land; 

But  I'll  keep  her  for  my  leman, 

When  I  come  o'er  the  strand. 

3  "I  wou'dna  marry  your  sister 

For  all  your  gowd  and  fee; 

But  I'll  keep  her  for  my  leman, 

When  I  come  o'er  the  sea." 

4  Young  Johnstone  had  a  nut-brown  sword, 

Hung  low  down  by  his  gair, 
And  he  ritted*  it  through  the  young  Col'nel, 
That  word  he  ne'er  spake  mair. 

5  But  he 's  awa  to  his  sister's  bow'r, 

He's  tirl'd  at  the  pin; 
"  Where  ha'e  ye  been,  my  dear  brother, 
Sae  late  a-coming  in? 

6  "  I've  dreamed  a  dream  this  night,"  she  says, 

"  I  wish  it  may  be  for  good; 
They  were  seeking  you  with  hawks  and  hounds, 
And  the  young  Col'nel  was  dead." 

7  "  With  hawks  and  hounds  they  may  seek  me, 

As  I  trow  well  they  be  ; 
For  I  ha'e  kill'd  the  young  Col'nel, 
And  thy  true  love  was  he." 

8  "  If  ye  ha'e  kill'd  the  young  Col'nel, 

Oh,  dule  and  wae  is  me ! 
But  may  ye  hang  on  a  high  gallows, 
And  ha'e  nae  power  to  flee." 

*  "  'Bitted: '  thrust  violently.    In  Sir  Tristrem  it  is  used  simply  to  cut    [Vide  Fytta 
I.,  stanza  xliv.]— Finlay.    In  the  copy  obtained  by  the  editor,  the  word  'ritted* 
did  not  occur;  instead  of  which  the  word  'stabbed'  was  used.    The  'nut-brown' 
Bword'  was  also  changed  into  'a  little  small  sword.' " — Motherwell 


YOUNG  JOHNSTONE.  279 


9    Then  he 's  awa  to  his  true  love's  bow'r, 
He 's  tirl'd  at  the  pin : 
"  Where  ha'e  ye  been,  my  dear  Johnstone, 
Sae  late  a-coming  in  ? 

10  "  I  ha'e  dream'd  a  dreary  dream,"  she  says, 

"  I  wish  it  may  be  for  good ; 
They  were  seeking  you  with  hawks  and  hounds, 
And  the  young  Col'nel  was  dead." 

11  "  With  hawks  and  hounds  they  may  seek  me, 

As  I  trow  well  they  be; 
For  I  ha'e  kill'd  the  young  Col'nel, 
And  thy  ae  brother  was  he." 

12  *  If  ye  ha'e  kill'd  the  young  Col'nel, 

Oh,  dule  and  wae  is  me  ! 
But  I  care  the  less  for  the  young  Col'nel, 
If  thy  ain  body  be  free.* 

13  "  Come  in,  come  in,  my  dear  Johnstone, 

Come  in  and  take  a  sleep ; 
And  I  will  go  to  my  casement. 
And  careful  watch  I'll  keep." 

14  She  's  ta'en  him  to  her  secret  bow'r, 

Pinn'd  with  a  siUer  pin ; 
And  she 's  up  to  her  highest  tow'r, 
To  watch  that  none  come  in. 

15  He  hadna  weel  got  up  the  stair, 

And  enter'd  in  her  bow'r. 
When  four-and-twenty  belted  knights 
Came  riding  to  the  door. 

16  "  Now  God  you  save,  my  fair  ladye, 

I  pray  you  tell  to  me. 
Oh,  did  you  see  a  bloody  squire, 

A  bloody  squire  was  he ; 
Oh,  did  you  see  a  bloody  squire 

Come  riding  o'er  the  lea?" 

17  "  What  colour  were  his  hawks?"  she  says, 

"  What  colour  were  his  hounds  ? 
What  colour  was  the  gallant  steed 
That  bore  him  from  the  bounds?" 

•  "  But  it  I  save  your  fair  body, 

The  better  you'll  like  me."— The  Crnel  Knight 


280  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


18  "  Bloody,  bloody  were  his  hawks, 

And  bloody  were  his  hounds ; 
And  milk-white  was  the  gallant  steed 
That  bore  him  from  the  bounds." 

19  "  Yes,  bloody,  bloody  were  his  hawks, 

And  bloody  were  his  hounds ; 
And  milk-white  was  the  gallant  steed 
That  bore  him  from  the  bounds. 

20  "  Yes,  bloody,  bloody  was  his  sword, 

And  bloody  were  his  hands ; 
But  if  the  steed  he  rides  be  good. 
He 's  past  fair  Scotland's  strands.* 

21  "  Light  down,  light  down,  then,  gentlemen, 

And  take  some  bread  and  wine; 
The  better  you  will  him  pursue, 
When  you  shall  lightly  dine." 

22  "  We  thank  you  for  your  bread,  ladye, 

We  thank  you  for  your  wine ; 
But  till  that  bloody  knight  is  ta'en, 
We  cannot  think  to  dine."f 

23  .Then  up  unto  her  secret  bow'r 

She  noiselessly  did  creep, — 
"  Lye  still,  lye  still,  my  dear  Johnstone, 

Lye  still  and  take  a  sleep; 
For  thy  enemies  are  past  and  gone, 

And  careful  watch  I  keep."  J 

24  But  young  Johnstone  had  a  sharp  wee  sword,. 

Hung  low  down  by  his  gair. 
And  he  stabb'd  it  in  fair  Annet's  breast, 
A  deep  wound  and  a  sair. 

25  "What  aileth  thee  now,  my  dear  Johnstone? 

What  aileth  thee  at  me? 
That  for  the  service  I  ha'e  done 
Ye  pay  me  such  a  fee?  "  § 


•  "  He 's  past  the  bridge  of  Tyne."— Finlay.     )  : 
"He's  past  the  brig  o'  Lyne."— Motherwell.  J 


Both  occur  in  connection  with  the 
first  two  lines  of  stanza  21. 
t  "  But  I  wad  gi'e  thrice  three  thousand  pound 

That  bloody  knight  was  ta'en.'"-  Motherwell. 

t  One  version  ends  here.    The  concluding  stanzas  seem  to  have  been  added  by 
another  hand. 

5  "  Hast  thou  not  got  my  father's  gold, 

Bot  and  my  mother's  fee?  "—Both  Finlay  and  Motherwell 


YOUNG  BENJIE.  281 


26  "  Alas !  alas !  my  fair  ladye, 

To  come  so  hastilie : 
I  took  you  for  my  deadly  foe, 
Had  come  to  capture  me. 

27  "  Now  live,  now  live,  my  dear  ladye, 

Now  live  but  half  an  hour, 
And  the  skilliest  leech  in  all  Scotland 
Shall  be  brought  to  thy  bow'r." 

28  "  How  can  I  live,  how  shall  I  live? 

My  love,  do  not  you  see 
The  red,  red  drops  of  my  heart's  blood 
Run  trickling  down  my  knee? 

29  "  But  take  thy  harp  into  thy  hand, 

And  harp  out  o'er  yon  plain ; 
And  think  nae  mair  on  thy  true  love, 
Than  if  she  ne'er  had  been." 

30  He  was  scarce  frae  the  stable  gone, 

And  on  his  saddle  set, 
Till  four-and-twenty  broad  arrows 
Were  thrilling  in  his  heart. 


YOUNG  BENJIE. 


"In  this  ballad,"  writes  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "the  reader  will  find 
traces  of  a  singular  superstition,  not  yet  altogether  discredited  in 
the  wilder  parts  of  Scotland.  The  lykewake,  or  watching  a  dead 
body,  in  itself  a  melancholy  office,  is  rendered,  in  the  idea  of  the 
assistants,  more  dismally  awful,  by  the  mysterious  horrors  of  super- 
stition. In  the  interval  betwixt  death  and  interment,  the  dis- 
embodied spirit  is  supposed  to  hover  around  its  mortal  habitation, 
and,  if  invoked  by  certain  rites,  retains  the  power  of  communicating, 
through  its  organs,  the  cause  of  its  dissolution.  Such  inquiries, 
however,  are  always  dangerous,  and  never  to  be  resorted  to,  unless 
the  deceased  is  suspected  to  have  suffered  foul  play,  as  it  is  called. 
It  is  the  more  unsafe  to  tamper  with  this  charm  in  an  unautliorizel 
manner,  because  the  inhabitants  of  the  infernal  regions  are  at  such 
periods  peculiarly  active.  One  of  the  most  potent  ceremonies  in 
the  charm,  for  causing  the  dead  body  to  speak,  is  setting  the  door 
ajar  or  half  open.  On  this  account,  the  peasants  of  Scotland  sedul- 
ously avoid  leaving  the  door  ajar,  while  a  corpse  lies  in  the  house. 
The  door  must  either  be  left  wide  open,  or  quite  shut ;  but  the 
first  is  always  preferred,  on  account  of  the  exercise  of  hospitality 
usual  on  such  occasions.  The  attendants  must  be  likewise  careful 
never  to  leave  the  corpse  for  a  moment  alone,  or,  if  it  is  left  alone, 
to  avoid,  with  a  degree  of  superstitious  horror,  the  first  sight  of  it. 


282  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


"The  following  story,  which  is  frequently  related  by  the  peasants 
of  Scotland,  will  illustrate  the  imaginary  danger  of  leaving  the  door 
ajar.  '  In  former  times,  a  man  and  his  wife  lived  in  a  solitary  cottage 
on  one  of  the  extensive  Border  fells.  One  day  the  husband  died 
suddenly ;  and  his  wife,  who  was  equally  afraid  of  staying  alone  by 
the  corpse,  or  leaving  the  dead  body  by  itself^  repeatedly  went  to  the 
door,  and  looked  anxiously  over  the  lonely  moor  for  the  sight  of  some 
person  approaching.  In  her  confusion  and  alarm,  she  accidentally  left 
the  door  ajar,  when  the  corpse  suddenly  started  up,  and  sat  in  the 
bed,  frowning  and  grinning  at  her  frightfully.  She  sat  alone,  crying 
bitterly,  unable  to  avoid  the  fascination  of  the  dead  man's  eye,  and 
too  much  terrified  to  break  the  sullen  sUence,  till  a  Catholic  priest, 
passing  over  the  wild,  entered  the  cottage.  He  first  set  the  door 
quite  open,  then  put  his  little  finger  in  his  mouth,  and  said  the  pater- 
noster backwards ;  when  the  horrified  look  of  the  corpse  relaxed,  it 
fell  back  on  the  bed,  and  behaved  itself  as  a  dead  man  ought  to  do.' 

"  The  ballad  is  given  from  tradition.  I  have  been  informed  by  a 
lady,  of  the  highest  literary  eminence,  that  she  has  heard  a  ballad  on 
the  same  subject,  in  which  the  scene  was  laid  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde.     The  chorus  was — 

'  Oh,  Bothwell  banks  bloom  bonnie,' 

and  the  watching  of  the  dead  corpse  was  said  to  have  taken  place  in 
BothweU  church." 

The  ballad  is  here  printed  from  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  10, 
with  the  addition  of  stanzas  13  to  17  inclusive,  from  a  different 
version,  published  by  Mr.  Buchan,  in  Ancient  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  265, 
under  the  title  of  "Bondsey  and  Maisry."  The  last  two  lines  of 
stanza  17,  and  the  first  two  of  stanza  18,  have,  however,  been  very 
slightly  altered. 

1  Of  all  the  maids  of  fair  Scotland, 

The  fairest  was  Marjorie ; 
And  young  Benjie  was  her  ae  true  love, 
And  a  dear  true  love  was  he. 

2  And  wow  but  they  were  lovers  dear, 

And  lov'd  full  constantlie; 
But  aye  the  mair  when  they  fell  out, 
The  sairer  was  their  plea.* 

8     And  they  ha'e  quarrell  'd  on  a  day, 
Till  Marjorie's  heart  grew  wae; 
And  she  said  she'd  chuse  another  luve, 
And  let  young  Benjie  gae. 

4    And  he  was  stout  f  and  proud-hearted, 
And  thought  o't  bitterlie ; 
And  he 's  gane  by  the  wan  moonlight, 
To  meet  his  Marjorie. 

•  "Plea: "  used  obliquely  for  dispute. 

t  "  Stout,"  through  this  whole  ballad,  except  in  one  instance  (stanza  10),  signifies 
haughty. 


i 


TOUNG  BENJIE.  283 


5  "  Oh,  open,  open,  my  true  love, 

Oh,  open  and  let  me  in !  " 
"  I  darena  open,  young  Benjie, 
My  three  brothers  are  within." 

6  "  Ye  lee,  ye  lee,  ye  bonnie  burd, 

Sae  loud  's  I  hear  ye  lee; 
As  I  came  by  the  Louden  banks, 
They  bade  g^de  e'en  to  me. 

7  "  But  fare  ye  weel,  my  ae  fause  love, 

That  I  have  lov'd  sae  lang! 
It  sets  ye  *  chuse  another  love, 
And  let  young  Benjie  gang." 

8  Then  Marjorie  tum'd  her  round  about, 

The  tear  blinding  her  e'e; 
"  I  darena,  darena  let  thee  in, 
But  I'll  come  down  to  thee," 

9  Then  saft  she  smil'd,  and  said  to  him — 

"Oh,  what  ill  ha'e  I  done?" 
He  took  her  in  his  arms  twa. 
And  threw  her  o'er  the  linn. 

10  The  stream  was  strong,  the  maid  was  stout, 

And  laith,  laith  to  be  dang ;  f 
But  ere  ye  wan  the  Louden  banks, 
Her  fair  colour  was  wan. 

11  Then  up  bespake  her  eldest  brother — 

"  Oh,  see  na  ye  what  I  see  ?  " 
And  out  then  spake  her  second  brother — 
"  It  is  our  sister  Marjorie ! " 

12  Out  then  spake  her  eldest  brother — 

"  Oh,  how  shall  we  her  ken  ?  " 
And  out  then  spake  her  youngest  brother — 
"  There 's  a  honey  mark  on  her  chin." 

13  The  eldest  brother  he  stepp'd  in, 

He  stepp'd  in  to  the  knee; 
Then  out  he  jump'd  upon  the  bank — 
"  This  water 's  no  for  me." 

14  The  second  brother  he  stepp'd  in. 

He  stepp'd  in  to  the  queet ; 
Then  out  he  jump'd  upon  the  bank — 
"  This  water 's  wond'rous  deep." 

*  "  Sets  ye:  "  becomes  you;  ironical, 
t  "  Dang:  "  defeated. 


284  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


15  Then  the  third  brother  he  stepp'd  in, 

He  stepp'd  in  to  the  chin; 
But  out  again  he  quick  did  wade, 
For  fear  of  drowning  him. 

16  The  youngest  brother  he  stepp'd  in, 

Took  his  sister  by  the  hand; 
He  knew  her  by  the  honey  drops, 
And  brought  her  corpse  to  land. 

17  Then  he  has  ta'en  the  comely  corpse, 

And  laid  it  on  the  ground; 
Saying — "  Wha  has  kill'd  our  ae  sister? 
And  how  can  he  be  found? 

18  "  The  night  it  is  her  low  lykewake, 

The  morn  her  burial  day; 
And  we  maun  watch  at  mirk  midnight, 
And  hear  what  she  will  say." 

19  With  doors  ajar,  and  candles  light. 

And  torches  burning  clear, 
The  streekit  corpse,  till  still  midnight, 
They  waked,  but  naething  hear. 

20  About  the  middle  of  the  night 

The  cocks  began  to  craw; 
And  at  the  dead  hour  of  the  night, 
The  corpse  began  to  thraw. 

21  "  Oh,  wha  has  done  thee  wrang,  sister, 

Or  dared  the  deadly  sin? 
■    Wha  was  sae  stout,  and  fear'd  nae  dout, 
As  throw  ye  o'er  the  linn?" 

22  "  Young  Benjie  was  the  first  ae  man 

I  laid  my  love  upon; 
He  was  sae  stout  and  proud-hearted. 
He  threw  me  o'er  the  linn." 

23  "  Shall  we  young  Benjie  head,  sister? 

Shall  we  young  Benjie  hang? 
Or  shall  we  pike  out  his  twa  gray  een. 
And  punish  him  ere  he  gang?  " 

24  "  Ye  maunna  Benjie  head,  brothers, 

Ye  maunna  Benjie  hang; 
But  ye  maun  pike  out  his  twa  gray  een. 
And  punish  him  ere  he  gang. 


FINE   FLOWERS   IN  THE  VALLEY.  285 


25  "  Tie  a  green  gravat  *  round  his  neek, 

And  lead  him  out  and  in, 
And  the  best  ae  servant  about  your  house 
To  wait  young  Benjie  on. 

26  "  And  aye 'at  every  seven  years'  end, 

Ye'll  take  him  to  the  linn; 
For  that 's  the  penance  he  maun  dree, 
To  scugf  his  deadly  sin." 


FINE  FLOWERS  IN  THE  VALLEY. 

This  favourite  Scotish  ballad  first  appeared  in  Herd's  collection, 
vol.  i.,  p.  88.  A  more  complete  version  subsequently  appeared,  in 
Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  66,  under  the  title  of  "The 
Cruel  Brother;  or,  The  Bride's  Testament,"  and  was  there  printed 
verbatim,  as  taken  down  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Arrott.  Professor 
Aytoun,  in  his  Ballads  of  Scotland,  2d  edition,  vol.  i.,  p.  232,  prints, 
professedly  "  from  recitation,"  what  in  reality  is  simply  a  collated 
version  of  the  two  above-named. 

As  the  difference  between  the  two  versions  occurs  chiefly  in  the 
opening  stanzas,  those  from  Herd,  with  their  peculiar  refrain,  are 
first  given  up  to  the  point  at  which  the  versions  become  identical 
for  four  stanzas,  which,  with  the  remaining  portion  of  the  ballad,  are 
next  given  under  the  title,  and  following  the  text,  of  Jamieson's 
version ;  in  its  earlier  portion  more  consistent,  and  in  its  latter  por- 
tion more  ample  and  polished,  than  Herd's. 

The  verses  from  this  last  which  follow  occur  verbatim,,  and  in  the 
same  order  in  Professor  Aytoun's  copy.  Both  start  with  "three 
ladies  "  and  "  three  lords,"  but  one  of  the  "  ladies"  and  two  of  the 
"  lords  "  drop  suddenly  and  unaccountably  out  of  the  story. 

The  two  following  stanzas,  which  have  a  different  refrain  from  the 
others,  appear  at  the  end  of  Herd's  version : — 

"  She  lonted  down  to  gi'e  a  kiss— 
With  a  hey,  and  a  lily  gay; 
He  stuck  his  penknife  in  her  haes— 
And  the  rose  it  S7nells  so  sweetly. 

"  'Kide  up,  ride  up,'  cried  the  foremost  man — 
With  a  hey,  and  a  lily  gay; 
'I  think  our  bride  looks  pale  and  wan ' — 
And  the  rose  it  smells  so  sweetly." 

The  concluding,  or  testamentary  portion  of  the  ballad,  as  given  in 
"The  Cruel  Brother,"  &c.,  occurs,  in  slightly  varied  forms,  in  the  two 
succeeding  ballads,  "The  Twa  Brothers,"  "Edward,  Edward,"  and 
in  another  still  further  on,  "Lord  Donald."  Analogous  conclusions 
may  also  be  found  in  Scandinavian  and  German  ballads. 

•  "Gravat"  or  cravat:  a  worsted  neck  scarf. 
t  "Scug:"  cover  or  expiate. 


286  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

1  There  were  three  ladies  in  a  hall — 

Fine  flcrw'rs  in  the  valley; 
There  came  three  lords  among  them  all — 
The  red,  green,  and  the  yellow. 

2  The  first  of  them  was  clad  in  red — 

"  Oh,  ladye  fair,  will  ye  be  my  bride  ?  " 

3  The  second  of  them  was  clad  in  green — 
"  Oh,  ladye  fair,  will  ye  be  my  queen  ?  " 

4  The  third  of  them  was  clad  in  yellow — 
"  Oh,  ladye  fair,  will  ye  be  my  marrow?" 

5  "  Oh,  ye  maun  ask  my  father  dear, 
Likewise  the  mother  that  did  me  bear; 

6  "  And  ye  maun  ask  my  sister  Ann, 
And  not  forget  my  brother  John." 

7  "  Oh,  I  have  ask'd  thy  father  dear. 
Likewise  the  mother  that  did  thee  bear; 

8  "  And  I  have  ask'd  thy  sister  Ann, 
But  I  forgot  thy  brother  John." 


THE  CRUEL  BROTHER. 

1  There  were  three  ladies  in  a  hall — 

With  a  heigh-ho!  and  a  lily  gay; 
There  came  a  lord  among  them  all — 
As  the  primrose  spreads  so  sweetly. 

2  The  eldest  was  baith  tall  and  fair ; 
But  the  youngest  was  beyond  compare. 

3  The  midmost  had  a  graceful  mien ; 

But  the  youngest  look'd  like  beauty's  queen. 

4  The  knight  bow'd  low  to  all  the  three; 
But  to  the  youngest  he  bent  his  knee. 

5  The  ladye  turn'd  her  head  aside ; 

The  knight  he  woo'd  her  to  be  his  bride. 

6  The  ladye  blush'd  a  rosy  red, 

And  said — "  Sir  Knight,  I'm  too  young  to  wed." 


THE  CRUEL  BROTHER.  2S7 


7  "  Oh,  ladye  fair,  give  me  your  hand, 
And  I'll  make  you  ladye  of  all  my  land." 

8  "  Sir  Knight,  ere  you  my  favour  win, 
Ye  maim  get  consent  frae  all  my  kin." 

9  He  has  got  consent  frae  her  parents  dear, 
And  likewise  frae  her  sisters  fair ; 

10  He  has  got  consent  frae  her  kin  each  one, 
But  forgot  to  speir  at  her  brother  John. 

11  Now,  when  the  wedding-day  was  cpme. 

The  knight  wou'd  take  his  bonnie  bride  Home. 

12  And  many  a  lord  and  many  a  knight 
Came  to  behold  that  ladye  bright. 

13  And  there  was  nae  man  that  did  her  see. 
But  wish'd  himself  bridegroom  to  be. 

14  Her  father  dear  led  her  down  the  stair. 
And  her  sisters  twain  they  kiss'd  her  there. 

15  Her  mother  dear  led  her  through  the  close. 
And  her  brother  John  set  her  on  the  horse. 

16  She  lean'd  her  o'er  the  saddle-bow, 
To  give  him  a  kiss  ere  she  did  go. 

17  He  has  ta'en  a  knife,  baith  lang  and  sharp, 
And  stabb'd  the  bonnie  bride  to  the  heart. 

18  She  hadna  ridden  half  through  the  town. 
Until  her  heart's  blood  stain'd  her  gown. 

19  "  Ride  saftly  on,"  said  the  best  young  man, 

"  For  I  think  our  bonnie  bride  looks  pale  and  wan." 

20  "  Oh,  lead  me  over  into  yon  stile. 
That  I  may  stop  and  breathe  awhile. 

21  "  Oh,  lead  me  gently  up  yon  hill. 

And  I'll  there  sit  down  and  make  my  will," 

22  "  Oh,  what  will  you  leave  to  your  father  dear?" 
"The  silver-shod  steed  that  brought  me  here." 

3     "  What  will  you  leave  to  your  mother  dear  ?" 
"  My  velvet  pall  and  silken  gear." 


|l 


288  BALLAD  MmSTBELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


24  "  And  what  will  you  leave  to  your  sister  Ann?" 
"  My  silken  scarf  and  my  goldjen  fan." 

25  "  What  will  you  leave  to  your  sister  Grace  ?  " 
"  My  bloody  clothes  to  wash  and  dress." 

26  "  What  will  you  leave  to  your  brother  John?" 
"  The  gallows-tree,  to  hang  him  on." 

27  "  What  will  ye  leave  to  your  brother  John's  wife?" 
"  The  wilderness,  to  end  her  life." 

28  This  fair  ladye  in  her  grave  was  laid, 
And  a  mass  was  o'er  her  said. 

29  But  it  wou'd  have  made  your  heart  right  sair — 

With  a  hei^h-ho !  and  a  lily  gay, 
To  see  the  bridegroom  rive  his  hair — 
As  the  primrose  spreads  so  sweetly. 


THE  TWA  BROTHERS. 


Three  Scotish  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared,  as  under : — 
I.  In  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  59,  where 
it  "is  given  genuine,  as  it  was  taken  down  from  the  recitation 
of  Mrs.  Arrot.  A  very  few  lines  [were]  inserted  by  the  editor 
to  fill  up  chasms,  [and]  inclosed  in  brackets."  (See  the  stanza 
noted  in  connection  wit^  stanza  3  of  the  present  text,  and 
discussed  under.) 
II.  In  A  Ballad  Booh,  edited  by  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.  (p.  56). 
"  As  to  Kirkland, "  says  Mr.  Sharpe,  "  my  copy  has  only 
kirk-yard,  till  the  last  verse,  where  land  has  been  added 
from  conjecture.    Kirkland,  or  Inchmurry,  is  in  Perthshire." 

III.  In  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  60. 

C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  felt  "convinced"  that  "the  origin  of  the 
ballad  "  was  derived  from  the  following  tragedy  in  real  life,  as  quoted 
by  Mr.  Motherwell,  who  appears,  from  the  terms  in  which  he  intro- 
duces the  quotation,  to  coincide  with  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  in  his 
opinion.  He  says : — "The  domestic  tragedy  which  this  affecting  ballad 
commemorates  is  not  without  a  precedent  in  real  history;  nay,  we 
are  almost  inclined  to  believe  that  it  originated  in  the  following 
melancholy  event : — 

"  'This  year,  1589,  in  the  moneth  of  July,  ther  falls  out  a  sad  accident, 
as  a  further  warneing  that  God  was  displeased  with  the  familie.  The 
Lord  Sommervill  haveing  come  from  Cowthally,  earlie  in  the  morning, 
in  regaird  the  weather  was  hott,  he  had  ridden  hard  to  be  at  the 


THE  TWA  BROTHERS.  289 


Drum  be  ten  a  clock,  which  haveing  done,  he  laid  him  down  to  rest. 
The  servant,  with  his  two  sones,  William,  Master  of  Sommervill,  and 
John  his  brother,  went  with  the  horses  to  ane  Shott  of  land,  called 
the  Prety  Shott,  directly  opposite  the  front  of  the  house  where  there 
was  some  meadow  ground  for  grassing  the  horses,  and  willowes  to 
shaddow  themselves  from  the  heat.  They  had  not  long  continued  in 
this  place,  when  the  Master  of  Somervill,  efter  some  litle  rest  awakeing 
from  his  sleep,  and  finding  his  pistolles  that  lay  hard  by  him  wett 
with  the  dew,  he  began  to  rub  and  dry  them,  when  unhappily  one  of 
them  went  off  the  ratch,  being  lying  upon  his  knee,  and  the  muzel 
turned  syde-ways,  the  ball  strocke  his  brother  John  directly  in  the 
head,  and  killed  him  outright,  soe  that  his  sorrowful  brother  never 
had  one  word  from  him,  albeit  he  begged  it  with  many  teares.' — 
Memorie  of  the  Somervilles,  voL  i.,  p.  467." 

Mr.  Motherwell  next  refers  to  Mr.  Jamieson's  "edition  of  this 
ballad,"  as,  "in  point  of  merit,  perhajjs  superior  to"  his  own.  "The 
third  stanza  of  that  edition,"  continues  he,  "was,  however,  imperfect ; 
and  the  ingenious  editor,  Mr.  Jamieson,  has  supplied  four  lines  to 
render  it  complete.  Excellent  though  his  interpolations  generally 
are,  it  will  be  seen  that,  in  this  instance;  he  has  quite  misconceived 
the  scope  and  tendency  of  the  piece  on  which  he  was  working,  and  in 
consequence  has  supplied  a  reading  with  which  the  scope  of  his  own 
copy  is  at  complete  variance,  and  which  at  same  time  sweeps  away 
the  deep  impression  this  simple  ballad  would  otherwise  have  made 
upon  the  feeUngs ;  for  it  is  unnecessary  to  mention  that  its  touching 
interest  is  made  to  centre  in  the  boundless  sorrow  and  cureless  re- 
morse of  him  who  had  been  the  unintentional  cause  of  his  brother's 
death,  and  in  the  solicitude  which  that  high-minded  and  generous 
spirit  expresses,  even  in  the  last  agonies  of  nature,  for  the  safety  and 
fortunes  of  the  truly  wretched  and  unhappy  survivor." 

Mr.  Motherwell's  reasoning  is  very  plausible,  but  not  very  con- 
vincing, as  we  can  see  no  special  analogy  between  even  his  own 
version  of  the  ballad  and  the  tragic  event  which  he  and  C.  K. 
Sharpe,  Esq.,  suppose  it  to  have  originated  from.  If  precedents  are 
allowed  to  count  for  anything  in  such  a  case,  Mr.  Jamieson  might, 
with  better  show  of  reason  than  Mr.  Motherwell  can  boast  of,  appeal 
to  one  much  better  known,  and  of  much  earlier  occurrence  than  the 
Somerville  tragedy — we  allude  to  the  murder  of  Abel  by  his 
brother  Cain. 

It  is  not,  however,  necessary  to  travel  into  the  sacred  record  in 
search  of  a  foundation  for  the  story,  as  it  finds  a  more  immediate, 
appropriate,  and  exact  counterpart  in  the  Swedish  ballad,  "  Sven  i 
Rosengard,"  Svenska  F.  V.,  No.  67;  Arwidsson,  No.  87,  A.  B.— a 
translation  of  which  may  be  found  in  Literature  and  Romance  of 
Northern  Europe,  vol.  i.,  p.  263.  In  Schroter's  Finnische  Bunen 
(Finnisch  and  Deutsch),  there  is  also  given  "a  traditionary  ballad 
known  in  Finland,  entitled,  '  Weriner  Pojka,'  "  "  Der  Blutige  Sohn," 
or  "The  Bloody  Son,"  of  which  an  all  but  literal  translation  may  be 
found  in  Professor  Child's  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  350. 

There  are  also  two  other  similar  Scotish  ballads,  "Edward! 
Edward!"  which  foUows  next  in  order,  but  in  which  the  crime  is 

U 


290  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


parricide  ;  and  "  Son  Davie!  Son  Davie! "  wliich  is  given  by  Mother- 
well, "from  tlie  recitation  of  an  old  woman"  (Minstrelsy,  p.  339). 
This  last  closely  resembles  "Edward!  Edward!"  but  the  crime,  as 
in  all  the  other  ballads  named,  is  fratricide.  Very  curiously,  too, 
the  first  of  three  stanzas,  as  quoted  from  it  under,  vindicates  Mr. 
Jamieson's  rendering  of  stanza  3,  in  opposition  to  Motherwell's,  as 
given  in  the  text  of  the  collated  ballad  here  printed,  and  makes  havoc 
of  his  theory.     They  are — 

"  What  about  did  the  plea  begin? 

SonDaYie!  sonDaTie!" 
"  It  began  about  the  cutting  o'  a  willow  wand, 

That  would  never  ha'e  been  a  tree,  O." 

"  "What  death  dost  thou  desire  to  die? 

Son  Davie!  son  Davie! 
What  death  dost  thou  desire  to  die  ? 

And  the  truth  come  tell  to  me,  O." 

"  I'll  set  my  foot  in  a  bottomless  ship, 

Mother  ladye !  mother  ladye ! 
m  set  my  foot  in  a  bottomless  ship. 

And  ye'U  never  see  mair  o'  me,  0." 

1  There  were  twa  brothers  at  the  skuil ; 

And  when  they  got  awa, — 
"It 's  will  ye  play  at  the  stane-chucking?* 

Or  will  ye  play  at  the  ba'  ? 
Or  will  ye  gae  up  to  yon  hill  head, 

And  there  we'll  warslef  a  fa'?" 

2  "I  winna  play  at  the  stane-chucking, 

Nor  will  I  play  at  the  ba' ; 
But  I'll  gae  up  to  yon  bonnie  green  hill, 
And  there  we'll  warsle  a  fa'." 

3  They  warsled  up,  they  warsled  down, 

Till  John  fell  to  the  ground : 

A  dirk  fell  out  of  William's  pouch, 

Gave  John  a  deadly  wound.  J 

4  "  Oh,  lift  me,  lift  me  on  your  back, 

Take  me  to  yon  well  so  fair, 
,  And  wash  the  bluid  frae  aflf  my  wound, 
And  it  will  bleed  nae  mair!" 

•  "  Stane-chncking : "  stone-putting. 

t  "  Warsle:  "  wrestle. 

t  "  They  warsled  up,  they  warsled  down. 
The  lee-lang  simmer's  day ; 
[And  nane  was  near  to  part  the  strife 

That  raise  atween  them  twae, 
Till  out  and  Willie  "s  drawn  his  sword. 
And  did  hia  brother  slay.] "— Jamieson. 


THE  TWA  BROTHERS.  291 


5  He 's  lifted  him  upon  his  back, 

Ta'en  him  to  yon  well  fair, 
And  wash'd  the  bluid  frae  aff  his  wound, 
But  aye  it  bled  the  mair. 

6  "  Oh,  ye'U  take  aff  my  holyn  sark, 

And  rive  it  gair  by  gair. 
And  stap  it  in  my  bluidy  wound. 
That  it  may  bleed  nae  mair!" 

7  Ob,  he 's  ta'en  aff  his  holyn  sark. 

And  rived  it  gair  by  gair ; 
He 's  stapt  it  in  the  bluidy  wound, 
But  it  bled  mair  and  mair. 

8  "  Oh,  lift  me,  lift  me  on  your  back, 

Take  me  to  Kirkland  fair, 
And  dig  a  grave  baith  wide  and  deep, 
And  lay  my  body  there. 

9  "  Ye'll  lay  my  arrows  at  my  head, 

My  bent  bow  at  my  feet ; 
My  sword  and  buckler  at  my  side, 
As  I  was  wont  to  sleep. 

10  "  But  what  will  ye  say  to  your  father  dear, 

When  ye  gae  name  at  e'en?" 
"  I'll  say  ye're  lying  at  yon  kirk  style, 
Where  the  grass  grows  fair  and  green." 

11  "Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  brother  dear, 

Oh,  you  must  not  say  so; 
But  say  that  I'm  gane  to  a  foreign  land. 
Where  nae  man  does  me  know. 

12  "  Or  when  ye  gang  hame  to  my  father  dear. 

And  he  says — '  Willie,  where  's  John?' 
Then  say  that,  to  buy  him  a  cask  of  wine, 
To  England  I  have  gone." 

13  "  And  what  will  I  say  to  my  mother  dear, 

When  she  says — 'Willie,  where 's  John?'" 
"  Oh,  say  that,  to  buy  her  a  new  silk  gown. 
To  England  I  have  gone." 

14  "  And  what  will  I  say  to  my  sister  dear. 

When  she  says — '  Willie,  where  's  John  ? ' " 
"  Oh,  say  that,  to  bring  her  a  lover  true, 
To  England  I  have  gone." 


292  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


15  "  And  what  will  I  say  to  your  true  love, 

When  she  speirs  for  her  love  John?" 
"  Oh,  say  that,  to  buy  her  a  wedding  ring, 
To  England  I  have  gone."* 

16  [Oh,  Willie  he  has  hied  him  hame, 

A  waeful,  waeful  man ;] 
And  when  he  sat  in  his  father's  chair, 
He  grew  baith  pale  and  wan. 

17  *'  Oh,  what  bluid  's  that  upon  your  brow? 

Oh,  dear  son,  tell  to  me." 
"  It  is  the  bluid  of  my  gude  gray  steed; 
He  wou'dna  ride  with  me." 

18  "  Oh,  thy  steed's  bluid  was  ne'er  sae  red, 

Nor  e'er  sae  dear  to  me : 
Oh,  what  bluid 's  this  upon  your  cheek? 

My  dear  son,  tell  to  me." 
"  It  is  the  bluid  of  my  greyhound; 

He  wou'dna  hunt  for  me." 

19  "  Oh,  thy  hound's  bluid  was  ne'er  sae  red. 

Nor  e'er  sae  dear  to  me : 
Oh,  what  bluid 's  this  upon  your  hand? 

My  dear  son,  tell  to  me." 
"  It  is  the  bluid  of  my  gay  gos-hawk; 

He  wou'dna  flee  for  me." 

20  "  Oh,  thy  hawk's  bluid  was  ne'er  sae  red. 

Nor  e'er  sae  dear  to  me : 
Oh,  what  bluid 's  this  upon  your  dirk? 

Dear  Willie,  tell  to  me." 
"  It  is  the  bluid  of  my  ae  brother; 

Oh,  dule  and  wae  is  me." 

21  "  Oh,  what  will  you  say  to  your  father? 

Dear  Willie,  tell  to  me." 
"  I'll  saddle  my  steed,  and  awa  I'll  ride, 
To  dwell  in  some  far  countrie." 


' '  But  ■what  will  I  say  to  her  yon  lo'e  dear, 
Gin  she  cry — Why  tarries  my  John  ? 
'Oh,  tell  her  I  Ue  in  Kirk-land  fair, 
And  home  again  wiU  never  come.' " — C.  K.  Sharpe's  version. 

"  When  ye  gae  hame  to  my  true  love, 

She'll  speir  for  her  lord  John; 
Te'U  say,  ye  left  him  in  Kirk-land  fair, 
But  haine  ye  fear  he'll  never  come."— Jamieson'a  version. 


Edward!  edward!  293 


22  "  Oh,  when  will  ye  come  hams  again? 

Dear  Willie,  tell  to  me." 
"  When  sun  and  mune  leap  on  yon  hill ;  * 
And  that  will  never  be." 

23  She  tum'd  hersel'  right  round  about, 

And  her  heart  burst  into  three: 
"  My  ae  best  son  is  dead  and  gane, 
And  my  other  I'll  nae  mair  see!" 


EDWAED!  EDWAED! 

This  "terrible  ballad,"  or,  as  Percy  less  appropriately  terms  it, 
"  this  curious  song,  was  transmitted"  to  him  "  by  Sir  D,  Dalrymple, 
Bart.,  late  Lord  Hailes."  Mr.  Motherwell  regards  it  as  "  rather  a 
detached  portion  of  a  ballad,"  and  thinks  "  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  his  lordship  made  a  few  slight  verbal  improvements  on  the  copy 
he  transmitted,  and  altered  the  hero's  name  to  Edward;  a  name 
which,  by  the  by,  never  occurs  in  a  Scottish  ballad,  except  where 
allusion  is  made  to  an  English  king." — Minsirehy,  Introduction,  p. 
Ixvii. 

The  absurdly  and  affectedly  antique  orthography  of  the  Beliques 
is  here  discarded  in  favour  of  that  now  usually  adopted,  but  which 
was  not  first  introduced  byxHerd,  as  the  following  notice  in  Professor 
Aytoun's  Ballads  of  Scotland,  vol.  ii.,  p.  19  (first  edition),  leads 
its  readers  to  suppose.  His  words  are: — "I  adhere  to  the  version 
first  printed  (i.  e. ,  Percy's  '  Edward !  Edward ! '  in  preference  to 
Motherwell's  ballad  of  '  Son  Davie '),  more  especially  because  it 
was  afterwards  adopted  by  Herd  in  his  collection,  with  a  reasonable 
change  of  orthography ; "  the  fact  being,  that  Herd  printed  verbatim 
et  literatim  from  Percy. 

Nor  is  the  other  reason  which  the  Professor  gives  for  his  choice  of 
version  less  curious  or  irrelevant,  as  honest  David  Herd  had  no  choice 
but  to  give  the  only  version  which  then  existed  in  print,  unless  he 
had  picked  up  a  different  copy  from  recitation ;  which  he  does  not 
appear  to  have  done.  Stanzas  1 1  and  12  are  here  adapted  from  Mother- 
well's ballad  of  "Son  Davie,  "in  place  of  the  stanzas  noted  under  p.  295. 

1     "  Why  does  your  brand  sae  drap  with  bluid? 

Edward!  Edward! 
Why  does  your  brand  sae  drap  with  bluid, 
And  why  sae  sad  gang  ye,  0?" 

"  Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  my  hawk  sae  gude, 

Mither!  mither! 
Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  my  hawk  sae  gude, 
And  I  ha'e  nae  mair  but  he,  0." 

•  "When  the  sun  and  moon  dance  on  the  green."— Jamieson. 


294  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  "  Your  hawk's  bluid  was  never  so  red, 

Edward!  Edward! 
Your  hawk's  bluid  was  never  so  red, 
My  dear  son,  I  tell  thee,  0." 

"  Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  nay  red-roan  steed, 

Mither !  mither ! 
Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  my  red-roan  steed. 
That  erst  was  fair  and  free,  0." 

3  "Your  steed  was  auld,  and  ye  ha'e  got  mair, 

Edward!  Edward! 
Your  steed  was  auld,  and  ye  ha'e  got  mair; 
Some  other  dule  ye  dree,  0." 

"  Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  my  father  dear, 

Mither!  mither! 
Oh,  I  ha'e  kill'd  my  father  dear, 
Alas!  and  wae  is  me,  0." 

4  "  And  whatten  penance  will  ye  dree  for  that? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  whatten  penance  will  ye  dree  for  that? 
My  dear  son,  now  tell  me,  0." 

"  I'll  set  my  feet  in  yonder  boat, 

Mither!  mither! 
I'll  set  my  feet  in  yonder  boat. 
And  I'll  fare  over  the  sea,  0." 

5  "And  what  will  ye  do  with  your  tow'rs  and  your  ha'? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  what  will  ye  do  with  your  tow'rs  and  your  ha', 
That  were  sae  fair  to  see.  0?" 

"  I'll  let  them  stand  till  they  down  fa', 

Mither!  mither  I 
I'll  let  them  stand  till  they  down  fa' ; 
For  here  never  mair  maun  I  be,  0." 

G     "And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  poor  wife? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  poor  wife, 
When  ye  gang  over  the  sea,  0  ?  " 

"  Grief  and  sorrow  all  her  life, 

Mither!  mither  1 


295 


Grief  and  sorrow  all  her  life ; 

For  her  never  mair  will  I  see,  0."* 

7  "  And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  young  son  ? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  young  son, 
When  ye  gang  over  the  sea,  0  ?  " 

"  The  wide  warld,  to  wander  up  and  down, 
Mither !  mither  I 
The  wide  warld,  to  wander  up  and  down; 
He  will  never  get  mair  frae  me,  0." 

8  "  And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  ain  mither  dear  ? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  ain  mither  dear, 
My  dear  son,  now  tell  to  me,  0  ?  " 

"  The  curse  of  hell  frae  me  shall  ye  bear, 

Mither!  mither! 
The  curse  of  hell  frae  me  shall  ye  bear — 
Sic  counsels  ye  gave  to  me,  0 !  " 


BINNORIE. 


The  following  are  the  diflFerent  versions  of  this  highly  popular 
ballad,  named  in  the  order  of  their  appearance  : — 

I.  "The  Miller  and  the  Kmg's  Daughter,"  in  Wit  Restored 
(1658).  Mr.  Jamieson  and  Sir  Walter  Scott  both  designate 
this  as  a  parody.  Professor  Child,  ho^rever,  contends 
that  it  is  not,  although  he  admits  that  "two  or  three 
stanzas  are  ludicrous."  "Mr.  Kimbault  has  printed 
the  same  piece  from  a  broadside,  dated  1656,  in  Notes 
and  Queries,  v.,  591." 

II.  "Binnorie,"  xaVvakeriorHs  Scottish  Tragic  Ballads,  p.  72. 
Contains  a  few  scraps  of  the  original;  but  is,  for  the 
most  part,  Pinkerton's  own  manufacture. 

•  Variation.—"  '  And  what  wiU  ye  leave  to  your  bairns  and  your  -wife? 

Edward!  Edward! 
And  what  will  ye  leave  to  your  bairns  and  your  wife, 
When  ye  gang  over  the  sea,  O  ? ' 

'"The  warld's  room — let  them  beg  through  Ufe, 
Mither!  mither! 
The  warld's  room — let  them  beg  through  Ufe; 
For  them  never  mair  will  I  see,  0."  "—Original  version. 


296  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


III.  "The  Cruel  Sister,"  in  Sir  Walter  Scott's  J/ms/;re%,  vol. 
iii.,  p.  287.  "It  is  compiled  from  a  copy  in  Mrs. 
Brown's  MSS.,  intermixed  with  a  beautiful  fragment 
of  fourteen  verses,  transmitted  to  the  editor,"  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  "by  J.  C.  Walker,  Esq.,  the  ingenious 
historian  of  the  Irish  bards.  Mr.  Walker,  at  the  same 
time,  favoured  the  editor"  of  the  Border  Minstrelsy 
"with  the  following  note: — 'I  am  indebted  to  my  de- 
parted friend.  Miss  Brook,  for  the  foregoing  pathetic 
fragment.  Her  account  of  it  was  as  follows : — This 
song  was  transcribed,  several  years  ago,  from  the 
memory  of  an  old  woman,  who  had  no  recollection  of 
the  concluding  verses;  probably  the  beginning  may 
also  be  lost,  as  it  seems  to  commence  abruptly.'  The 
first  verse  and  burden  of  the  fragment  ran  thus  : — 

'Oh.  sister,  sister,  reach  thy  hand! 

Hey  ho,  my  Nanny,  O, 
And  you  shall  be  heir  of  all  my  land, 

While  the  swan  swims  bonnie,  O.' 

The  first  part  of  this  chorus  seems  to  be  corrupted 
from  the  common  burden  of  'Hey  Nunny,  Nanny,' 
alluded  to  in  the  song  beginning,  '  Sigh  no  more, 
Ladyes.'  The  chorus  retained  in  this  edition  is  the 
most  common  and  popular ;  but  Mrs.  Brown's  copy 
bears  a  yet  different  burden,  beginning  thus  : — 

'  There  were  twa  sisters  sat  in  a  bow'r — 

Edinborough,  Edinborough: 
There  were  twa  sisters  sat  in  a  bow'r — 

Stirling  for  aye ; 
There  were  twa  sisters  sat  in  a  bow'r. 
There  cam'  a  knight  to  be  their  wooer — 

Bonnie  St.  Johnston  stands  upon  Tay.' " 

TV.  "The  Twa  Sisters,"  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol. 
i.,  p.  48,  given  verbatim  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs. 
Brown.  The  refrain,  however,  was  changed  from  that 
noted  above  to  the  one  generally  used,  and  several 
interpolated  stanzas  of  Mr.  Jamieson's  own  were  intro- 
duced, but  "included  within  brackets." 

Mr.  Jamieson's  "  copy,  in  the  exact  state  in  which  it 
appears "  in  his  work,  "was  shown  by  the  editor  to 
Mr.  (afterwards  Sir  Walter)  Scott,  some  years  before 
the  publication  of  the  Minstrelsy,  and  before  he  (Scott) 
had  any  thoughts  of  adopting  it." 

V.  "  The  Twa  Sisters,"  in  Sharpe's  Ballad  Booh,  p.  30.  The 
refrain  is  similar  to  that  of  Mrs.  Brown's  version,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  first  stanza,  which  reads — 

"  There  lived  twa  sisters  in  a  bow'r — 

Hey  Edinbruch,  how  Edinbruch; 
There  li-ved  twa  sisters  in  a  bow'r — 

Stirling  for  aye : 
The  youngest  o'  them,  oh,  she  was  a  flower! 
Bonnie  Sanct  Johnstoune  that  stands  upon  Tay." 


BTNNORIE.  297 


VI.  "The  Bonnie  Bows  o'   London"    (Loudon?)  in  Buchan'a 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  128.     The  refrain  is — 

"  Hey  wi'  the  gay  and  the  grinding, 
At  the  bonnie,  bonnie  bows  o'  London." 

"  The  old  woman  fronx  whose  recitation"  Mr.  Buchan 
"took  it  down,  says,  she  had  heard  another  way  of  it, 
quite  local,  whose  burden  runs  thus, — '  Even  into  Buchan- 
shire,  vari,  vari,  0 ! '  "     (Note,  p.  321.) 

The  text  which  follows  is  collated  from  Scott's  and  from  Jamieson's 
versions;  but  the  latter,  being  on  the  whole  the  best,  is  the  one 
generally  adopted. 

"  The  same  story  is  found  in  Icelandic,  Norse,  Faroish,  and  Estnish 
ballads,  as  well  as  in  the  Swedish  and  Danish,  and  a  nearly  related 
one  in  many  other  ballads  or  tales — German,  Polish,  Lithuanian,  &c. 
&c.  See  Svenska  Folk-visor,  iii.,  16;  i.,  81,  86;  Arwidsson,  ii.,  139; 
and  '  Den  TaJende  Strengeleg, '  Grundtvig ;  No.  95 ;  and  the  notes  to 
'Der  Singende  Knochen,'  K.  U.  H.  Marchen,  iii.,  55,  ed.  1856."— 
Professor  Child's  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  ii. ,  p.  231. 

N.  B.  — "  It  may  be  necessary  euphonice  gratia  to  caution  the  Enriish 
[or  American]  reader,  that  the  burden  is  pronounced  Binnorie,  and  not 
BinnSrie,  as  it  is  accented  in  a  beautiful  little  modem  ballad  bearing 
that  name,  which  appeared  in  the  Morning  Chronicle  some  time  ago." 
— Jamieson  (1806). 

1  There  were  tAva  sisters  lived  in  a  bower — 

Binnorie,  0  Binnorie! 
There  came  a  knicht  to  be  their  wooer, 
By  the  bonnie  mill-dams  of  Binnorie. 

2  He  courted  the  eldest  with  glove  and  ring; 
But  he  loved  the  youngest  aboon  a'  thing. 

3  He  courted  the  eldest  with  brooch  and  knife ; 
But  he  loved  the  youngest  as  his  life. 

4  The  eldest  she  was  vexfed  sair, 
And  sair  envied  her  sister  fair. 

5  In  til  her  bow'r  she  cou'dna  rest ; 
With  grief  and  spite  she  maistly  brast. 

6  Upon  a  mornin'  fair  and  clear, 
She  cried  upon  her  sister  dear  : 

7  "  Oh,  sister !  come  to  the  sea-strand, 
And  see  our  father's  ships  come  to  land." 

8  She 's  ta'en  her  by  the  milk-white  hand. 
And  led  her  down  to  yon  sea- strand. 


298  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


9    The  youngest  stood  upon  a  stane, 

The  eldest  came  and  pushed  her  in.  , 

10  She  took  her  by  the  middle  sma', 

And  dash'd  her  bonnie  back  to  the  jaw. 

11  "0  sister,  sister,  reach  your  hand. 
And  ye  shall  be  heir  of  half  my  land." 

12  "  O  sister,  I'll  not  reach  my  hand. 
And  I'll  be  heir  of  all  your  land." 

13  "  Shame  fa'  the  hand  that  I  shou'd  take, 
It's  twin'd  me,  and  my  world's  maik." 

14  "  0  sister,  reach  me  but  your  glove, 
And  sweet  William  shall  be  your  love." 

15  "  Sink  on,  nor  hope  for  hand  or  glove. 
And  sweet  William  shall  better  be  my  love. 

16  "  Your  cherry  cheeks,  and  your  yellow  hair, 
Gar'd  me  gang  maiden  evermair." 

17  Sometimes  she  sunk,  sometimes  she  swam, 
Until  she  came  to  the  miller's  dam. 

18  Oh,  out  it  came  the  miller's  son, 
And  saw  the  fair  maid  floating  down. 

19  "  0  father,  father,  draw  your  dam — 

Binnorie,  0  Binnorie! 
There 's  a  mermaid  or  a  milk-white  swan 
In  the  bonnie  mill-dams  of  Binnorie." 

20  [The  miller  quickly  drew  the  dam, 
And  there  he  found  a  drown'd  woman.* 

21  "  Sair  will  they  be,  whae'er  they  be. 
Their  hearts  that  live  to  weep  for  thee.] 

22  "  And  sair  and  lang  may  their  teenf  last, 
That  wrought  thee  sic  a  dowie  cast." 

*  Stated  by  Jamieson  in  hia  Introduction  to  be,  and  bracketed  by  him  in  the 
text  as,  one  of  his  interpolations.  It  occurs,  however,  in  Scott's  copy  without  note 
or  comment,  the  only  difference  being  the  substitution,  in  the  first  fine,  of  "  hasted 
and  "  in  place  of  "  quickly." 

t  "Teen:"  remorse  or  Buffering. 


BINNOKIE.  299 


23  You  cou'dna  see  her  yellow  hair, 

For  gowd  and  pearl  that  were  so  rare. 

24  You  cou'dna  see  her  middle  sma', 
For  her  gowden  girdle  sae  braw. 

25  You- cou'dna  see  her  fingers  white, 
For  gowden  rings  that  were  sae  bright. 

26  By  there  came  a  harper  fine, 
That  harped  to  the  king  at  dine.* 

27  And  when  he  look'd  that  ladye  on, 
He  sighed,  and  made  a  heavy  moan. 

28  ["  Oh,  wha  shall  tell,  to  thy  father  dear, 
The  sad  and  waefu'  sight  that 's  here? 

29  "  And  wha  in  thy  mother's  bow'r  shall  tell 
The  weird  her  dearest  bairn  befell? 

30  "  And  wha  to  thy  luckless  lover  speak 
The  tidings  will  gar  his  heart  to  break?  "] 

31  He  made  a  harp  of  her  breast-bone. 
Whose  sovmds  would  melt  a  heart  of  stone. 

82     He  's  ta'en  three  locks  of  her  yellow  hair. 
And  with  them  strung  his  harp  sae  fair.t 

33  He  brought  the  harp  to  her  father's  hall ; 
And  there  was  the  court  assembled  all. 

34  He  laid  the  harp  upon  a  stane, 
And  straight  it  began  to  play  alane. 

35  "  Oh,  yonder  sits  my  father,  the  king, 
And  yonder  sits  my  mother,  the  queen. 

36  "  And  yonder  stands  my  brother  Hugh, 
And  by  him  my  William,  sweet  and  true." 

•  Variation — "  A  famous  harper  passing  by, 

The  sweet  pale  face  he  chanced  to  spy." — Scott's  version. 

t  Variation. — "The  strings  he  form'd  of  her  yellow  hair, 

Their  notes  made  sad  the  listening  ear."— Scott's  version. 
Stanzas  31  and  33  to  37,  inclusive,  are  from  the  same. 


300  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


37     But  the  last  tune  that  the  harp  played  then, 
Was — "Woe  to  my  sister,  false  Helen!"* 


THE  CRUEL  MOTHER. 

Various  versions  of  this  ballad,  more  or  less  varied,  have  appeared, 
as  under : — 

L  "A  few  mutilated  stanzas,"  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  voL 
iL,  p.  237,  with  the  refrain  of — 

"Oh,  and  alas-a-day!  oh,  and  alas-a-day! 
Ten  thousand  times  good  night  and  [joy]  be  wi'  thee." 

II.  "Fine  Flowers  in  the  Valley,"  Johnson's  Musical  Museum, 
vol.  iv.,  p.  331,  as  communicated  by  the  poet  Burns.  The 
title  is  taken  from  the  first  hne  of  the  refrain,  the  other 
line  being — 

"And  the  green  leaves  they  grow  rarely." 

The  lines  quoted  below  by  Scott,  from  memory,  are  almost 
identical  with  stanzas  1,  2,  5,  6,  and  7  of  this  version- 
Ill.  "Ladye  Anne,"  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  18,  and 
"  communicated "  to  him  "  by  Mr.  Charles  Kirkpatrick 
Sharpe  of  Hoddom,  who  mentions  having  copied  it  from 
an  old  magazine.  Although  it  has  probably  received  some 
modem  corrections,  the  general  turn  seems  to  be  ancient, 

'  Mr.  Jamieson'B  copy  concludes  as  follows,  the  bracketed  stanzas  being  his  own 
acknowledged  interpolations.    They  follow  stanza  33  of  text: — 

"  [The  harp  untouch 'd  to  the  windes  rang, 
Blnnorie,  O  Binnorie! 
And  sad  and  doleful  was  the  sang. 
By  the  bonnie  miU-dams  of  Binnorie.] 

"  The  first  tune  it  did  play  and  sing. 
Was — 'Farewell  to  my  father  the  king;' 

"  The  nexten  tune  that  it  played  bedene. 
Was — '  Farewell  to  my  mother  the  queen;' 

"  The  thirden  tune  that  it  played  then. 
Was— '  Wae  to  my  sistei-,  fair  Ellen!' 

"  fBut  the  lasten  tune  it  played  sae  small. 
Was  saft  and  tadly  sweet  o'er  ali 

"  The  hardest  heart  would  ha'e  bled  to  hear, 
It  moaned  with  sic  a  dowie  cheer. 

"  And  farpweel.  oh,  fareweel  to  thee, 
Binnorie,  O  Binnorie ! 
The  dearest  youth  in  life  to  me. 
By  the  bonnie  mill-dams  of  Binnorie."] 


THE   CRUEL  MOTHER.  301 


and  corresponds,"  says  Scott,  "with  that  of  a  fragment, 
containing  the  following  verses,  which  I  have  often  heard 
sung  in  my  childhood : — 

"She  set  her  back  against  a  thorn, 
And  there  she  has  her  young  son  bom. 
'Oh,  smile  na  sae,  my  bonnie  babe ! 
An  ye  smile  sae  sweet,  ye'll  smile  me  dead.' 
•       **•**•** 

An'  when  that  ladye  went  to  the  church, 
She  spied  a  naked  boy  in  the  porch. 

" '  Oh,  bonnie  boy,  an  ye  were  mine, 
I'd  dead  ye  in  the  siJks  sae  fine.' 
'Oh,  mother  dear,  when  I  was  thine. 
To  me  ye  were  na  half  sae  kind.' " 

"Ladye  Anne"  was  reprinted  by  Buchan,  with  the  addition 
of  one  stanza,  in  his  Gleanings  of  Old  Ballads,  p.  90. 

IV.  "The  Cruel  Mother,"  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  161. 
The  second  and  fourth  lines,  composing  the  refrain,  are 
respectively — 

"Three,  three,  and  three  by  three:  " 
and, 

"Three,  three,  and  thirty-three." 

V.  "The  Cruel  Mother,"  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads, 
p.  44.  The  opening  line  describes  "  London  "  as  the  place 
of  the  lady's  residence.  Mr.  Kinloch  mentions  that  "the 
Scottish  Parliament,  in  1690,  had  recourse  to  a  severe  law, 
which  declared  that  a  mother  concealing  her  pregnancy, 
and  not  caUing  in  assistance  at  the  birth,  should  be  pre- 
sumed guilty  of  murder,  if  the  child  were  "  amissing  or  found 
dead.  Sir  Walter  Scott's  Heart  of  Midlothian  is  chiefly 
founded  on  a  breach  of  this  law.  The  refrain  of  Mr.  Kin- 
loch's version  is  the  one  here  adopted. 

VL  "  The  Minister's  Daughter  of  New  York, "  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  217;  or,  "The  Minister's 
Dochter  o'  Newarke,"  as  the  title  is  given  in  an  improved 
copy  of  the  same,  which  appears  in  Scottish  Traditional 
Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  Percy  Society,  voL  xvii., 
p.  51.     The  refrain  is — 

"  Hey  wi'  the  rose  and  the  lindie,  O ; " 
and, 

"Alane  by  the  green  bum  sidie,  0." 

VIL  "  The  Cruel  Mother, "  which  also  appears  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  222,  and  in  the  Percy  Society 
series,  vol.  xvii. ,  p.  46.     It  closes  with  this  stanza — 

"She  threw  hersell  ower  the  castle-wa' — Edinbro',  Edinbro'; 
She  threw  hersell  ower  the  castle-wa' — Siirling/or  aye; 
She  threw  hersell  ower  the  castle-wa'; 
There  I  wat  she  got  a  fa" — 
So  proper  Saint  Johnston  stands  fair  upon  Tay." 

VIII.  Smith's  Scottish  Minstrel,  vol.  iv.,  p.  33,  contains  a  stiU 
different  version  under  the  same  title,  and  with  the  same 
refrain  as  that  contained  in  Johnson's  Musical  Museum. 


302  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


Five  German  and  three  Wendish  ballads  of  a  similar  nature  are 
referred  to  by  Professor  Child,  in  English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol. 
ii.,  p.  262. 

The  annotator  of  "The  Minister's  Dochter  o'  Newarke"  (Percy 
Society  series,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  96)  explains  that  "by  'minister'  is  meant 
a  minstrel,  as  in  Chaucer : — 

' A  gret  host  of  ministers. 

With  instruments  and  sounes  diverse.' 

Chaucer's  Dreame,  i,  2132." 

And  "by  'clerk,'  "  he  infers  that  it  is  not  "a  person  in  holy  orders, 
but  a  student  or  young  man  learning  al  maner  of  mynstralcie,"  that 
meant. 

The  same  writer  regards  "the  village  of  Newark,  on  Yarrow,"  as 
"the  locality"  indicated.  Mr.  Furnivall  may,  however,  feel  inclined 
to  claim  the  heroine  and  ballad  as  English,  and  localize  both  at 
Newark,  in  Nottinghamshire — a  noted  stage  on  the  road  from  York 
to  London.  Or  some  zealous  American  may  contend  that  Mr. 
Buchan's  title  is  perfectly  correct.  For  our  own  part,  with  the 
impartiality  and  fairness  so  specially  characteristic  of  Scotsmen,  we 
forbear  to  dogmatize. 

The  writer  already  quoted  remarks,  that  "the  burden  of  this  ballad 
[version  VI.]  is  very  ancient,  and,  when  coupled  with  the  purgatorial 
nature  of  the  punishment  of  the  heroine,  affords  a  strong  presumption 
of  the  antiquity  of  the  whole  composition." 

Pytliagorian,  in  place  of  iiurgatorial,  is  probably  the  more  correct 
term. 

This  feature  is  peculiar  to  version  VI.,  which  is  the  one  chiefly 
followed  in  the  text  here  printed. 

1  The  minister's  dochter  of  Newarke, 

All  alone,  and  alonie, 
Has  fallen  in  love  with  her  father's  clerk, 
Down  by  the  greenwood  sae  bonnie. 

2  She  courted  him  sax  years  and  a  day ; 
At  length  her  false  love  did  her  betray. 

3  She  has  ta'en  her  mantle  her  about, 
And  sat  her  down  on  an  auld  tree  root. 

4  She  leant  her  back  unto  an  aik : 
First  it  bow'd,  and  syne  it  brake. 

5  She  leant  her  back  unto  a  thorn, 

And  there  she  has  her  twa  babes  bom. 

6  "  Oh,  smile  na  sae,  my  babes  sae  sweet, 
Smile  na  sae,  for  it  gars  me  greet." 


THE   CRUEL  MOTHER.  303 


7  She  'g^  ta'en  the  ribbons  frae  her  hair, 
And  bound  their  bodies  fast  and  sair. 

8  Then  she 's  ta'en  out  a  little  penknife, 
And  twined  each  sweet  babe  of  its  life. 

9  She  's  h9ukit  a  grave  baith  deep  and  wide, 
And  put  them  in  baith  side  by  side. 

10  She 's  cover'd  them  o'er  with  a  big  whin  stane, 
Thinking  to  gang  like  maiden  hame. 

11  She 's  gane  back  to  her  father's  castle  hall, 
And  she  seem'd  the  lealest  maid  of  them  all. 

12  As  she  look'd  o'er  her  father's  castle  wall, 
She  saw  twa  pretty  babes  playing  at  the  ball. 

13  "  Oh,  bonnie  babes,  if  ye  were  mine, 

I  wou'd  feed  and  clead  ye  fair  and  fine. 

14  "  I  would  feed  you  with  the  ferra  cow's  *  milk, 
And  clead  you  in  the  finest  silk ! " 

15  "  It 's  oh,  cruel  mother !  when  we  were  thine, 
Ye  did  neither  feed  nor  clead  us  fine ; 

16  "But  oh,  cruel  mother!  when  we  were  thine, 
Ye  tied  us  with  ribbons  and  hempen  twine ; 

17  "  And  then  ta'en  out  your  wee  penknife, 
And  twined  us  each  of  our  sweet  life." 

18  "  Oh,  bonnie  babes!  can  ye  tell  me 

What  sort  of  penance  for  this  I  maun  dree?" 

19  "  Yes,  cruel  mother !  we  will  tell  thee 
The  penance  ye  for  this  maun  dree : 

20  "  Seven  years  a  fool  in  the  woods, 
Seven  years  a  fish  in  the  floods ; 

21  "  Seven  years  to  be  a  church  bell, 
Pealing  joy  to  us,  but  woe  to  yoursel'; 

22  "  Seven  years  a  porter  to  hell. 

And  then  evermair  in  its  torments  to  dwell. 

*  "  Ferra  cow : "  a  cow  not  witii  calf,  but  which  continnes  to  yield  milk. 


304  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


23  "  But  we  shall  dwell  in  the  heavens  hie, 
While  you  your  penance  and  torments  dree." 

24  "  "Welcome!  welcome !  fool  in  the  woods, 
Welcome!  welcome!  fish  in  the  floods; 

25  "  Welcome!  welcome!  to  be  a  church  bell, 
But  Gude  preserve  me  out  of  hell!  " 


LADYE  ANNE. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  18,  with  the  addition  of  the 
penultimate  stanza  from  Buchan's  Gleanings,  p.  91.  See  preceding 
introduction,  (III.)  According  to  this  version,  the  act  of  murder  was 
not  really  committed  by  the  "cruel  mother,"  but  by  a  "fause 
nurse,"  or  baby  farmer  of  the  olden  time. 

1  Fair  Ladye  Anne  sat  in  her  bow'r, 

Down  by  the  greenwood  side ; 
And  the  flow'rs  did  spring,  and  the  birds  did  sing — 
'Twas  the  pleasant  May-day  tide. 

2  But  fair  Ladye  Anne  on  Sir  William  call'd, 

With  the  tear  grit  in  her  e'e  : 
"  Oh,  tho'  thou  be  fause,  may  heaven  thee  guard 
In  the  wars  ayont  the  sea!" 

3  Out  of  the  wood  came  three  bonnie  boys. 

Upon  the  summer's  morn. 
And  they  did  sing  and  play  at  the  ba'. 
As  naked  as  they  were  born. 

4  "  Oh,  seven  lang  years  wou'd  I  sit  here, 

Amang  the  frost  and  snaw, 
All  to  ha'e  ane  of  these  bonnie  boys 
A-playing  at  the  ba'." 

5  Then  up  and  spake  the  eldest  boy— 

"  Now  listen,  thou  fair  ladye. 
And  ponder  well  the  rede  that  I  tell. 
Then  make  ye  a  choice  of  the  three. 

6  "  'Tis  I  am  Peter,  and  this  is  Paul, 

And  that  ane,  sae  fair  to  see. 
But  a  twelve-month  sinsyne  to  paradise  came. 
To  join  with  our  companie. " 


LOKD   BANDAL.  305 


7  "  Oh,  I  will  ha'e  the  snaw-white  boy, 

The  bonniest  of  the  three." 
"  And  if  I  were  thine  and  in  thy  propine,* 
Oh,  what  wou'd  ye  do  to  me?  " 

8  "  It 's  I  wou'd  dead  thee  in  silk  and  gowd, 

And  notfrish  thee  on  my  knee." 
"0  mother!  mother!  when  I  was  thine, 
Sic  kindness  I  cou'dna  see. 

9  "At  love's  gay  call,  in  the  baron's  hall, 

Ye  quaff'd  the  laughing  wine, 
While  foodless  days  and  sleepless  nights 
In  a  menial's  hut  were  mine. 

10     "  Beneath  the  turf,  where  now  I  stand, 
The  fause  nurse  buried  me; 
The  cruel  penknife  still  sticks  in  my  heart, 
And  I  come  not  back  to  thee." 


LORD  RANDAL. 


Scotish  versions,   or  fragments  of  versions,  of  this  ballad  have 
appeared  as  under : — 

I.  In  Johnson's  Musical  Museum,  voL  iv.,  p.  337,  consisting  of 
two  stanzas  recovered  by  Bums. 

II.  In  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  iii.,  p.  43.  "There  is,"  writes 
Sir  Walter,  "  a  beautiful  air  to  this  old  ballad.  The  hero 
is  more  generally  termed  Lord  Ronald;  but  I  willingly 
follow  the  authority  of  an  Ettrick  Forest  copy  for  calling 
him  Randal, — because,  though  the  circumstances  are  so 
very  different,  I  think  it  not  impossible  that  the  ballad 
may  have  originally  regarded  the  death  of  Thomas  Ran- 
dolph, or  Randal,  Earl  of  Murray,  nephew  to  Robert 
Bruce,  and  Governor  of  Scotland.  This  great  warrior  died 
at  Musselburgh,  1332,  at  the  moment  when  his  services 
were  most  necessary  to  his  country,  already  threatened  by 
an  English  array.  For  this  sole  reason,  perhaps,  our 
historians  obstinately  impute  his  death  to  poison.  See 
The  Bruce,  by  Barbour,  book  xx.  Fordun  repeats,  and 
Boece  echoes,  this  story,  both  of  whom  charge  the  murder 
on  Edward  III.  But  it  is  combated  successfully  by  Lord 
Hailes,  in  his  Remarks  on  the  History  of  Scotland. 

*  "Propine: "  usually  gift;  but  here  the  power  of  giving  or  laestowing. 
X 


306  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAKB. 


"The  substitution  of  some  venomous  reptile  for  food,  or 
putting  it  into  liquor,  was  anciently  supposed  to  be  a 
common  mode  of  administering  poison,  as  appears  from 
[a]  curious  account  of  the  death  of  King  John,  extracted 
from  a  MS.  Chronicle  of  England,  penes  John  Clerk, 
Esq. ,  advocate.  There  is  a  very  similar  song,  in  which, 
apparently  to  excite  greater  interest  in  the  nursery,  the 
handsome  young  hunter  is  exchanged  for  a  little  child, 
poisoned  by  a  false  step-mother. "  • 

III.  In  Allan  Cunningham's  Scottish  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  285.     It  is 

similar  to  Scott's,  but  has  one  stanza  more. 

IV.  In  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  110,  under  the  title 

of  "Lord  Donald,"  as  here  printed  next  in  order. 

V.  In  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  179,  under  the  title 
of  "WiUie  Doo"  (Dove).  Mr.  Buchan  says:— "I  have 
every  reason  to  believe  that  this  is  the  beautiful  nursery 
song  to  which  Sir  Walter  Scott  alludes,  now  for  the  first 
time  printed."     Note,  p.  327. 

VI.  In  Chambers's  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland,  p.  51,  under  the 

title  of  "The  Croodin  Doo."    Dr.  Chambers  states  it  to  be 

Mrs.  Lockhart's  copy,  as  she  used  to  sing  it  to  her  father 

at  Abbotsford.     But  for  the  fact  that  Lockhart,  in  a  note 

to  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  48,  mentions  Buchan's 

version  as  "probably"  the  one  referred  to  by  Scott,  we 

should  have  supposed  Mr.  Buchan  to  be  mistaken  in  his 

opinion,  and  Dr.  Chambers's  version  to  be  the  one  referred 

to. 

With  reference  to  this  ballad,  Mr.  Jamieson  writes:— "As  I  have 

lately  heard  it  insinuated,  upon  authority  that  ought  to  have  some 

weight,  that  nothing  was  known  of  the  tragical  fragment  beginning — 

'Oh,  whare  ha'e  ye  been,  Lord  Bonald,  my  son?' 

till  the  publication  of  Johnson's  Scots  Musical  Museum,  1  am  happy" 
to  be  able  to  fui-nish  the  reader — along  with  the  assurance  that  there 
are  many  persons  in  Scotland  who  learnt  it  long  before  it  was  printed 
— with  two  curious  scraps,  the  genuineness  of  which  is  unquestion- 
able. An  English  gentleman,  who  had  never  paid  any  attention  to 
ballads,  nor  ever  read  a  collection  of  such  things,  told  me,  that,  when 
a  child,  he  learnt  from  a  playmate  of  his  own  age,  the  daughter  of  a 
clergyman  in  SuiFolk,  the  following  imperfect  ditty : — 

" '  Where  have  you  been  to-day,  Billy,  my  son? 
Where  have  you  been  to-day,  my  only  man? ' 
*  Tve  been  a-wooing,  mother;  make  my  bed  soon. 
For  I'm  sick  at  heart,  and  fain  would  Isy  downl' 

" '  What  have  you  ate  to-day,  Billy,  my  son? 
What  have  you  ate  to-day,  my  only  man?' 
'  I've  ate  eel-pie,  mother;  make  my  bed  soon. 

For  I'm  sick  at  heart,  and  shall  die  before  noon! '" 

*  This  introduction  of  Scott's  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  drivelling  nonsense  which  a 
man  of  genius  may  write.  We  have  never  seen,  heard,  nor  read  of  any  one  else  who 
has  adopted  the  above  wii-e-drawn  and  palpably  erroneous  theory. 


LORD   RANDAL.  307 


Mr.  Jamieson  then  quotes  a  "German"  popular  ditty,  inserted  in  the 
Knaben  Wunderhom,  and  accompanies  it  with  "a  verbatim  English 
prose  translation,"  under  the  title  of  "Grandmother  Addercook," 
remarking,  "that  any  one  of  these  Scottish,  English,  andGerman  copies 
of  the  same  tale  has  been  borrowed  or  translated  from  another,  seems 
very  improbable ;  and  it  would  now  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to  ascertain 
what  it  originally  was,  or  in  what  age  it  was  produced.  It  has  had 
the  great  good  fortune  in  every  country  to  get  possession  of  the 
nursery — a  circumstance  which,  from  the  enthusiasm  and  curiosity 
of  young  imaginations,  and  the  communicative  volubility  of  little 
tongues,  has  insured  its  preservation."— Illustrations  of  Northern 
Antiquities,  pp.  319-322. 

For  Scandinavian  versions,  see  "  Den  Lilas  Testamente ; "  Svensha 
Folk-  Visor,  iii. ,  13.  Translated  in  Literature  arul  Romance  of  Northern 
Europe,  i.,  265.      See  also  Arwidsson's  Fornsanger,  ii.,  90. 

There  are  other  English  versions  besides  the  fragment  cited  by,  and 
quoted  from,  Jamieson.  Hector  Macueill's  popular  song,  "  My  Boy 
Tammie,"  appears  also  to  be  inspired  from  the  same  source.  And 
away  in  the  sunny  south,  on  the  once  gay,  but  lately  devastated 
plains  of  Louisiana,  the  following  lively  strain,  which  sounds  some- 
what like  a  burlesque  of  the  tragic  ballad,  may  be  heard : — 

"  '  Oh,  where  have  you  been,  BUly  boy,  Billy  boy? 
Oh,  where  have  you  been,  charming  Billy?' 
'  I  have  been  to  seek  a  wife — she 's  the  joy  of  my  life — 
She's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  motherl ' 

" '  Did  she  ask  yon  to  come  in,  BUly  boy,  Billy  boy  ? 
Did  she  ask  you  to  come  in,  charming  Billy? ' 
'  Yes,  she  asked  me  to  come  in,  with  a  dimple  in  her  chin- 
She 's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  motherl ' 

" '  Did  she  bid  you  take  a  chair,  Billy  boy,  Billy  boy? 
Did  she  bid  you  take  a  chair,  charming  Billy?' 
'  Yes,  she  bade  me  take  a  chair,  with  a  ringlet  in  her  hair — 
She's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  mother! ' 

"  '  Is  she  often  seen  at  church,  Billy  boy,  Billy  boy? 
Is  she  often  seen  at  church,  charming  Billy? ' 
'  Yes,  she 's  often  seen  at  church,  with  a  bonnet  white  as  birch- 
She  's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  mother! ' 

'  Oh,  is  she  very  tall,  Billy  boy,  Billy  boy  ? 

Oh,  is  she  very  tall,  charming  Billy? ' 

'  She 's  tall  as  a  pine,  and  straight  as  a  pumpkin  vine — 

She 's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  motherl ' 

"'Can  she  make  a  cherry  pie,  Billy  boy,  Billy  boy? 
Can  she  make  a  cherry  pie,  charming  Billy? ' 
'  She  can  bake  a  cherry  pie,  in  the  twinkle  of  an  eye — 
She 's  a  young  thing,  and  cannot  leave  her  mother? ' " 

1     "  Where  ha'e  ye  been  hunting,  Lord  Randal,  my  son  ? 
Where  ha'e  ye  been  hunting,  ray  handsome  young  man?  " 
"  In  yon  wild  wood,  0  mither;  so  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  wae  and  I'm  weary,  and  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 


308  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


"Where  got  ye  your  dinner,  Lord  Eandal,  my  son? 
Where  got  ye  your  dinner,  my  handsome  young  man?  " 
"  Oh,  I  dined  with  my  true  love ;  so  make  my  bed  soon. 
For  I'm  wae  and  I'm  weary,  and  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

"  Oh,  what  was  your  dinner.  Lord  Eandal,  my  son? 
Oh,  what  was  your  dinner,  my  handsome  young  man  ?  " 
"  Eels  boiled  in  broo,  mither;  so  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  wae  and  I'm  weary,  and  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

"  Oh,  where  did  she  find  them,  Lord  Randal,  my  son? 
Oh,  where  did  she  catch  them,  my  handsome  young  man?  "' 
"  'Neath  the  bush  of  brown  brechan;  so  make  my  bed  soon,. 
For  I'm  wae  and  I'm  weary,  and  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

"  And  where  are  your  blood-hounds,  Lord  Randal,  my  son? 
What  came  of  your  blood-hounds,  my  handsome   young 

man  ?  " 
"  They  swell'd  and  they  died,  mither;  and  sae  maun  I  soon: 
I  am  wae,  I  am  weary,  and  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

"  I  fear  you  are  poison 'd,  Lord  Randal,  my  son! 
I  fear  you  are  poison'd,  my  handsome  young  man !  " 
"  Oh,  yes!  I  am  poison'd;  so  make  my  bed  soon: 
I  am  sick,  sick  at  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 


LORD  DONALD. 
From  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  109. 

"  This  ballad,"  says  Mr.  Kinloch,  "  seems  to  be  of  an  ancient  cast. 
This  copy,  which  was  procured  in  the  north,  differs  in  many  respects 
from  that  of  '  Lord  Eandal,'  and  appears  to  be  more  complete  in  its 
detail. 

"  It  would  seem  (stanza  5)  that  Lord  Donald  had  been  poisoned  by 
eating  toads,  prepared  as  a  dish  of  fishes.  Though  the  frog  is  in  some 
countries  considered  a  delicacy,  the  toad  has  always  been  viewed  as  a 
venomous  animal.  The  reader  is  referred  to"  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL 
iii.,  p.  43,  "  for  a  curious  extract,  from  a  MS.  Chi-onicle  of  England, 
relative  to  the  death  of  King  John,  who  is  said  to  have  been  poisoned 
by  drinking  a  cup  of  ale  in  which  the  venom  of  a  toad  had  been 
infused. 

"Might  not  the  Scots  proverbial  phrase,  ' To  gi'e  one  frogs  instead 
of  fish,'  as  meaning  to  substitute  what  is  bad  or  disagreeable  for 
expected  good,  be  viewed  as  allied  to  the  idea  of  the  venomous 
quality  of  the  toad?  This  phrase  occurs  in  the  ballad  of  «  Katherine 
Janfarie.'  "—Ante,  p.  So. 


LORD  DONALD.  309 


The  diversity  of  national  tastes,  as  above  referred  to,  is  very  well 
hit  off  in  a  rencontre  between  "a  fine  old  Scotch  lady,  one  of  the 
olden  time,"  and  a  Frenchman.  It  is  said  that  the  latter  expressed 
by  words  and  grimace  his  astonishment  or  disgust  at  tbe  Scotch 
partiality  for  porridge ;  on  which  the  old  dame  promptly  and  drily 
remarked — "Ay,  ay,  tastes  differ:  some  folks  like  parrUch,  and 
ithers  like  puddocks;  "  i.e.,  frogs. 

1  "  Oh,  whare  ha'e  ye  been  all  day,  Lord  Donald,  my  son? 
Oh,  whare  ha'e  ye  been  all  day,  my  jolly  young  man?  " 
"  I've  been  awa  courtin' ;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon,    " 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

2  ' '  What  wou'd  you  ha'e  for  your  supper,  Lord  Donald,  my  son  ? 
"What  wou'd  you  ha'e  for  your  supper,  my  jolly  young 

man?" 
"  I've  gotten  my  supper ;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  would  lie  down." 

3  "  What  did  ye  get  for  your  supper,  Lord  Donald,  my  son  ? 
What  did  ye  get  for  your  supper,  my  jolly  young  man?" 
"  A  dish  of  sma'  fishes;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon, 

For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

4  "  Whare  gat  ye  the  fishes.  Lord  Donald,  my  son  ? 
Whare  gat  ye  the  fishes,  my  jolly  young  man  ?" 

"In  my  father's  black  ditches;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon. 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

5  "What  like  were  your  fishes.  Lord  Donald,  my  son? 
What  like  were  your  fishes,  my  jolly  young  man  ?  " 
"Black  backs  and  speckl'd  bellies;  mither,  make  my  bed 

soon. 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

6  "  Ob,  I  fear  ye  are  poison'd,  Lord  Donald,  my  son! 
Oh,  I  fear  ye  are  poison'd,  my  jolly  young  man!" 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  am  poison'd  ;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon. 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

7  "  What  will  you  leave  to  your  father.  Lord  Donald,  my  son  ? 
What  will  ye  leave  to  your  father,  my  folly  young  man  ?  " 
"  Baith  my  houses  and  land ;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  w^ould  lie  down." 

7     "  What  will  leave  to  yeur  brither.  Lord  Donald,  my  son  ? 
What  will  you  leave  to  your  brither,  my  jolly  young  man?  " 
"  My  horse  and  the  saddle ;  mither  make  my  bed  soon. 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  Ue  down." 


310  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     "What  will  you  leave  to  your  sister,  Lord  Donald,  my  son? 
What  will  ye  leave  to  your  sister,  my  jolly  young  man?" 
"  Baith  my  gold  box  and  rings ;  mither,  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  sick  at  the  heart,  and  I  fain  wou'd  lie  down." 

10     "What  will  you  leave  to  your  true  love.  Lord  Donald,  my 

son? 
What  will  you  leave  to  your  true  love,  my  jolly  young 

man?" 
"  The  tow  and  the  halter,  for  to  hang  on  yon  tree. 
And  let  her  hang  there  for  the  poisoning  of  me." 


THE  BONNIE  BANKS  OF  FORDIE. 

From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  88.  "  This  balhad  is  given," 
states  Motherwell,  "from  two  copies  obtained  from  recitation,  which 
differ  but  little  from  each  other.  Indeed,  the  only  variation  is  in  the 
verse  where  the  outlawed  brother  unweetingly  slays  his  sister.  One 
reading  is — 

'  He 's  taken  out  his  wee  penknife — 

Hey  liow  bonnie ; 
And  he 's  twin'd  her  o'  her  ain  sweet  Ufe, 
On  the  bonnie  banks  of  Fordie.' 

The  other  reading  is  that  adopted  in  the  text.  This  ballad  is  popitlar 
in  the  southern  parishes  of  Perthshire ;  but  where  the  scene  is  laid, 
the  editor  has  been  unable  to  ascertain  ;  nor  has  any  research  of  his 
enabled  him  to  throw  any  further  light  on  the  history  of  its  hero 
with  the  fantastic  name,  than  what  the  ballad  itself  supplies. " 

A  different  version  from  Kinloch's  collection  follows.  A  similar 
ballad  is  to  be  found  in  Danish,  under  the  title  of  "  Herr  Truel's 
Doetre,"  Danske  Viser,  No.  164;  and  "in  a  note,"  says  Professor 
Child,  "the  editor  endeavours  to  show  that  the  story  is  based  on 
fact ! " 

Professor  Aytoun  "  conjectures  that  the  name,  '  Baby  Lon,'  is  a 
corruption,  by  the  reciters,  of '  Burdalane,'  signifying  '  the  Solitary; ' 
a  very  appropriate  name  for  an  outlaw." 

1  There  were  three  ladies  lived  in  a  bow'r — 

Eh  vow  bonnie; 
And  they  went  out  to  pull  a  flow'r, 
On  the  bonnie  banks  of  Fordie. 

2  They  hadna  pu'ed  a  flow'r  but  ane. 
When  up  started  to  them  a  banish'd  man. 

3  He's  ta'en  the  first  sister  by  her  hand, 

And  he 's  turn'd  her  round  and  made  her  stand. 


THE  BONNIE  BANKS  OF  FORDIE.  311 


4  "  It 's  whetl)er  will  ye  be  a  rank  robber's  wife, 
Or  will  ye  die  by  my  wee  penknife  ?  " 

5  "  It 's  I'U  not  be  a  rank  robber's  wife, 
But  I'll  rather  die  by  your  wee  penknife." 

6  He 's  kill'd  this  May,  and  he  's  laid  her  by. 
For  to  bear  the  red  rose  company.* 

7  He 's  taken  the  second  ane  by  the  hand. 

And  he 's  tum'd  her  round  and  made  her  stand. 

8  "  It 's  whether  will  ye  be  a  rank  robber's  wife, 
Or  will  ye  die  by  my  wee  penknife  ?  " 

9  *'  I'll  not  be  a  rank  robber's  wife, 

But  I'll  rather  die  by  your  wee  penknife." 

10  He 's  kill'd  this  May,  and  he 's  laid  her  by, 
For  to  bear  the  red  rose  company. 

11  He 's  taken  the  youngest  ane  by  the  hand, 
And  he 's  turn'd  her  round  and  made  her  stand. 

12  Says — "  Will  ye  be  a  rank  robber's  wife. 
Or  will  ye  die  by  my  wee  penknife?" 

13  "  I'll  not  be  a  rank  robber's  wife. 
Nor  will  I  die  by  your  wee  penknife; 

14  "  For  I  ha'e  a  brother  in  this  wood, 
And  gin  ye  kill  me,  it 's  he'll  kill  thee." 

15  "  What 's  thy  brother's  name,  come,  tell  to  me?" 
"  My  brother's  name  is  Baby  Lon." 

16  "0  sister,  sister,  wh^t  have  I  done? 
Oh,  have  I  done  this  ill  to  thee? 

17  "  Oh,  since  I've  done  this  evil  deed, 
Good  shall  never  be  seen  of  me." 

18  He 's  taken  out  his  wee  penknife — 

Eh  vow  bonnie; 
And  he 's  twin'd  himsel'  of  his  ain  sweet  life. 
On  the  bonnie  banks  of  Fordie. 

•  There  is  here  an  evident  allusion  to  the  superstition  connected  with  the  red 
rose,  which  was  probably  the  flower  she  pulled.  Vide  Life  and  Correspondence  of 
W.  G.  Lewis:  in  re,  murder  of  Miss  Ray  by  a  clergyman,  Hackman.  In  certain  dis- 
ricts  of  Italy,  &c.,  the  red  rose  is  an  emblem  of  early  death,  and  it  is  an  evil  omen 
to  scatter  its  leaves  on  the  ground. 


312  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


DUKE  OF  PERTH'S  THREE  DAUGHTERS. 

From  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  210. 

This  is  a  dififerent  version  of  the  preceding  ballad.  Mr.  Kinloch 
says  : — "The  present  copy  is  from  Mearnsshire.  It  appears  to  relate 
to  the  family  of  Drummond  of  Perth ;  and,  although  the  title  of  'Duke 
of  Perth'  was  unknown  prior  to  the  Revolution,  the  assumption 
of  it  here  does  not  lessen  the  antiquity  of  the  ballad,  as  it  is  a  weU- 
known  custom  among  the  vulgar,  from  whom  we  have  to  glean  our 
'  legendary  lore,'  frequently  to  alter  the  names  of  persons  and  places 
to  suit  their  own  fancy  or  caprice ;  and  this  baUad,  though  really 
relating  to  the  family  alluded  to,  may  have  formerly  borne  a  more 
humble  name,  and  acquired  its  present  title  on  the  creation  of  the 
dukedom." 

The  ballad  may  have  received  the  above  title  in  consequence  of 
some  confused  and  oblique  allusion  to  the  fate  of  "  Mistress  Margaret 
Drummond,"  so  fondly  loved  by  James  IV.,  and  her  two  sisters, 
Euphemia  Lady  Fleming,  and  Sybilla,  daughters  of  John,  lirst  Lord 
Drummond,  who  were  poisoned  in  1502.  They  were  interred  in  a 
vault,  and  covered  with  three  marble  stones,  which  may  still  be  seen 
in  the  choir  of  Dumblane  Cathedral.  An  entry  regarding  her,  in  the 
books  of  the  Lord  High  Treasurer,  records  a  pajmient  to  the  priests 
of  Edinburgh  for  a  "  Saule-mess  for  Mergratt,  £5." 

1  The  Duke  of  Perth  had  three  daughters — 

Elizabeth,  Margaret,  and  fair  Marie ; 
And  Elizabeth 's  to  the  greenwood  gane, 
To  pull  the  rose  and  the  fair  lilie. 

2  But  she  badna  puU'd  a  rose,  a  rose, 

A  double  rose  but  barely  three, 
When  up  and  started  a  Loudon  lord. 
With  Loudon  hose  and  Loudon  sheen.* 

3  "  Will  ye  be  call'd  a  robber's  wife, 

Or  will  ye  be  stickit  with  my  bloody  knife, 
For  puUin'  the  rose  and  the  fair  lilie, 
For  pullin'  them  sae  fair  and  free?" 

4  "  Before  I'll  be  call'd  a  robber's  wife, 

I'll  rather  be  stickit  with  your  bloody  knife, 
For  pullin'  the  rose  and  the  fair  lilie. 
For  pullin'  them  sae  fair  and  free ! " 

5  Then  out  he  's  ta'en  his  wee  penknife, 
And  he  's  parted  her  and  her  sweet  life ; 
And  thrown  her  o'er  a  bank  of  brume, 
Ne'er  to  be  found  till  the  crack  of  doom.f 

*  "London  sheen: "  Lothian  shoes. — Kinloch. 
t  Substituted  for — 

"There  never  more  for  to  be  found." 


GIL  MORICE.  313 


A  repetition  of  stanzas  1  to  5  inclusive  constitutes  stanzas  6  to  10 
inclusive,  merely  substituting  in  stanza  6  "  Margaret's  "  name  in  place  of 
"Elizabeth's,"  as  in  stanza  1,  line  3 ;  another  repetition  of  stanzas  1 
to  4  inclusive  constitutes  stanzas  11  to  14  inclusive,  merely  substitut- 
ing in  that  which,  if  given  here,  would  be  stanza  11,  the  name  of  the 
third  sister,  Marie  or  Mary,  in  place  of  the  "Elizabeth  "  of  stanza  1, 
or  the  "  Margaret "  of  stanza  6.  The  ballad  then  proceeds,  and  con- 
cludes as  follows : — 

15  But  just  as  he  took  out  his  knife, 
To  take  frae  her  her  ain  sweet  life, 
Her  brother  John  came  riding  by, 
And  this  bloody  robber  did  espy. 

16  But  when  he  saw  his  sister  fair, 
He  kenn'd  her  by  her  yellow  hair ; 
Then  call'd  upon  his  pages  three 
To  find  this  robber  speedilie. 

17  "  My  sisters  twa  that  are  dead  and  gane, 
For  whom  we  made  a  heavy  mane. 

It 's  you  that 's  twin'd  them  of  their  life, 
And  with  your  cruel  bloody  knife. 

18  "  Then  for  their  life  ye  sair  shall  dree — 
Ye  shall  be  hangit  on  a  tree, 

Or  thrown  into  the  poison'd  lake, 
To  feed  the  toad  and  rattlesnake."  * 


GIL  MORICE. 


Versions  of  this  highly  popular  ballad  have  appeared  in  the  following 
works : — 

L   *'  Gil  Morrice,"  in  Percy's  Reliques,  vol.  iiL 
II.   "Childe  Maurice,"  from  Bishop  Percy's   Folio  MS.,   in 

Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  voL  i.,  p.  3. 
HI.   "  Chield  Morice,"  from  the  recitation  of  an  old  woman, 
" seventy  years  of  age,"  who  learned  it  "in  her  infancy 
from  her  grandmother." 
IV.   "  Child  Noryce,"  "  verbatim  as  it  was  taken  down  (January, 
1825)  from  the  singing  of  widow  M'Cormick  of  Paisley." 

•  "Though  the  'poisoned  lake'  seems  the  Action  of  romance,  yet  history,  in  her 
record  of  human  cruelty,  shows  that  the  use  of  venomous  animals  to  inflict  a  linger- 
ing and  painful  death  was  not  unknown  in  Britain.  The  Saxon  Chronicle,  in  detailing 
the  cruelties  exercised  by  the  Normans  upon  the  Anglo-Saxons,  during  the  reign  of 
King  Stephen,  relates  that  'they  squeezed  the  heads  of  some  with  knotted  cords, 
tUl  they  pierced  their  brains,  while  they  threw  others  into  dungeons  swarming  with 
serpents,  snakes,  and  toads.'— Henry's  Britain,  vol.  vi.,  p.  346.  This  reminds  us 
[also]  of  the  fate  of  Lodbrog,  a  Danish  king,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by  Ella,  King 
of  Northumberland,  and  thrown  into  a  dungeon  full  of  serpents,"  where  he  composed 
"  an  heroic  death-song,  in  which  he  laments  his  fate,  and  describes  his  suBerings." 
— Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  218. 


314  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Both  of  these  two  last-named  versions  appear  in  Mr.  Motherwell's 
Minstrelsy,  in  which  work  he  also  reprints  the  other  versions  named, 
prefixing  the  following  Introduction.  The  different  versions  are  also 
connected  by  further  explanatory  matter,  the  whole  extending  from 
Images  257  to  286,  inclusive,  of  Mr.  Motherwell's  work : — 

"Of  the  many  ancient  ballads  which  have  been  preserved  by 
tradition  among  the  peasantry  of  Scotland,  none  has  excited  more 
interest  in  the  world  of  letters  than  the  beautiful  and  pathetic  tale  of 
'  Gil  Morice ; '  and  this  no  less  on  account  of  its  own  intrinsic  merits 
as  a  piece  of  exquisite  poetry,  than  of  its  having  furnished  the  plot 
of  the  justly-celebrated  tragedy  of  Douglas.  *  It  has  likewise  supplied 
Mr.  Langhorne  with  the  principal  materials  from  which  he  has  woven 
the  fabric  of  his  sweet  though  prolix  poem  of  '  Owen  of  Carron ; '  and 
Mr.  Jamieson  mentions  that  it  has  also  been  '  made  the  subject  of  a 
dramatic  entertainment  with  songs,  by  Mr.  Rennie  of  Aberdeen. '  + 
Perhaps  the  list  could  be  easily  increased  of  those  who  have  drawn 
their  inspiration  from  this  affecting  strain  of  olden  minstrelsy. 

"  If  any  reliance  is  to  be  placed  on  the  traditions  of  that  part  of  the 
country  where  the  scene  of  the  ballad  is  laid,  we  shall  be  enforced  to 
believe  that  it  is  founded  on  facts  which  occurred  at  some  remote  period 
of  Scottish  history.  The  '  greenwood '  of  the  ballad  was  the  ancient 
forest  of  Dundaff,  in  Stirlingshire,  and  Lord  Barnard's  Castle  is  said  to 
have  occujried  a  precipitous  cliff  overhanging  the  water  of  Carron,  on 
the  lands  of  Halbertshire.  A  small  bum  which  joins  the  Carron, 
about  live  miles  above  these  lands,  is  named  the  Earlsbum,  and  the 
hill  near  the  source  of  that  stream  is  called  the  Earlshill,  both  deriving 
their  appellations,  according^ to  the  unvarying  traditions  of  the  coun- 
try, from  the  unfortunate  Earl's  son  who  is  the  hero  of  the  ballad. 
He  also,  according  to  the  same  respectable  authority,  was  '  beautiful 
exceedingly,'  aud  especially  remarkable  for  the  extreme  length  and 
loveliness  of  his  yellow  hair,  which  shrouded  him  as-  it  were  with  a 
golden  mist.  To  these  floating  traditions  we  are  probably  indebted 
for  the  attempts  which  have  been  made  to  improve  and  embellish  the 
ballad  by  the  introduction  of  various  new  stanzas  since  its  first  appear- 
ance in  a  printed  form. 

"  Of  the  early  printed  editions  of  this  ballad  the  editor  has  been 
unable  to  procure  any  copy.  J  In  Percy's  Reliques  it  is  mentioned 
that  it  had  run  through  two  editions  in  Scotland,  the  second  of  which 
appeared  at  Glasgow  in  1755,  8vo ;  and  that  to  both  there  was  pre- 
fixed an  advertisement,  setting  forth  that  the  preservation  of  the 

*  "When  this  tragedy  was  originally  produced  at  Edinburgh,  in  1756,  the  title  of 
the  heroine  was  Lady  Barnard:  the  alteration  to  Lady  Randolph  was  made  on  its 
being  transplanted  to  London.  It  was  acted  in  Covent  Qurden  in  1757.  Biographia 
Dramatica,  vol.  ii.,  p.  175." — MotherwelL 

t  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs.    Edinbargh,  1S06,  vol.  i.,  p.  6. 

t "  Since  writing  this,  he  has  been  kindly  favoured,  by  Mr.  David  Laing  of 
Edinburgh,  with  an  edition  which,  though  it  has  neither  place,  date,  nor  printer's 
name,  may,  from  its  title,  be  considered  as  the  first  Edinburgh  edition,  and  printed 
probably  in  1756.  The  title  is  given  at  length,  '  Gil  Morice,  an  Ancient  Scots  Poem. 
The  foundation  of  the  tragedy  called  Douglas,  as  it  is  now  acted  in  the  Concert- 
hall,  Canongate.'  Except  some  slight  variations  in  orthography,  and  in  its  omitting 
the  sixteeu  additional  verses  which  are  mentioned  by  Bishop  Percy  as  having  been 
subsequently  added  to  the  ballad,  there  is  no  other  material  difference  between  this 
edition  and  that  which  is  reprinted  in  the  Reliques." — Motherwell 


GIL  MORICE.  315 


poem  was  owing  '  to  a  lady  who  favoured  the  printers  with  a  copy, 
as  it  was  carefully  collected  from  the  mouths  of  old  women  and 
nurses  ;'  and  requesting  'that  any  reader  who  could  render  it  more 
perfect  and  complete  would  oblige  the  public  with  such  improvements.' 
This  was  holding  out  too  tempting  a  bait  not  to  be  greedily  snapped 
at  by  some  of  those  '  ingenious  hands '  who  have  comipted  the 
purity  of  legendary  song  in  Scotland  by  manifest  forgeries  and  gross 
impositions.  Accordingly,  sixteen  additional  verses  soon  appeared 
in  manuscript,  which  the  editor  of  the  Reliques  has  inserted  in  their 
proper  places,  though  he  rightly  views  them  in  no  better  hght  than 
that  of  an  ingenious  interpolation.  Indeed,  the  whole  ballad  of  '  Gil 
Morice,'  as  the  writer  of  the  present  notice  has  been  politely  informed 
by  the  learned  and  elegant  editor  of  The  Border  Minstrelsy,  under- 
went a  total  revisal  about  the  period  when  the  tragedy  of  '  Douglas  ' 
was  in  the  zenith  of  its  popularity;  and  this  improved  copy,  it 
seems,  embraced  the  '  ingenious  interpolation '  above  referred  to. 
Independent  altogether  of  this  positive  information,  any  one  familiar 
with  the  state  in  which  traditionary  poetry  has  been  transmitted  to 
the  present  times,  can  be  at  no  loss  to  detect  many  more  *  ingenious 
interijolations,'  as  well  as  paraphrastic  additions,  in  the  baUad  as  now 
printed.  But  though  it  has  been  grievously  corrupted  in  this  way, 
the  most  scrupulous  inquirer  into  the  authenticity  of  ancient  song 
can  have  no  hesitation  in  admitting  that  many  of  its  verses,  even  as 
they  now  stand,  are  purely  traditionary,  and  fair  and  genuine  parcels 
of  antiquity,  unalloyed  with  any  base  admixture  of  modem  invention, 
and  in  nowise  altered,  save  in  those  changes  of  language  to  which  all 
oral  poetry  is  unavoidably  subjected  in  its  progress  from  one  age  to 
another."* 

"  In  the  shape  which  it  now  bears,  the  ballad  must  be  considered 
as  one  whose  text  has  been  formed  out  of  various  sets  combined  by 
the  taste,  and  in  all  likelihood  materially  eked  out  by  the  invention, 
of  the  editor  of  1755.  The  worthy  and  useful  class  of  '  old  women 
and  nurses,' from  whose  mouths  it  is  stated  to  be  carefully  taken, 
has  not  entirely  disappeared ;  but  it  would  defy  the  most  unwearied 
and  persevering  industry  to  obtain  from  their  lips,  in  this  day, 
any  dupUcate  of  the  present  copy  which  could,  by  unexceptionable 
evidence,  be  traced  to  a  period  anterior  to  the  date  of  the  first 
edition.  The  scene  of  wire-drawn  recrimination  between  Lord  Bar- 
nard and  his  lady,  which  is  quite  out  of  keeping  with  the  character 
of  the  '  bold  baron,'  is  of  itself  quite  enough  to  convince  any  one 
versant  in  this  species  of  literature  that  it  has  come  through  the 
refining  hands  of  a  modem  ballad-wright.  In  this  opinion  the 
present  writer  does  not  stand  singular ;  for  both  Mr.  Ritson  and 
Mr.  Jamieson  agree  in  rejecting  as  spurious  the  stanzas  which 
follow  after  the  one  beginning — 

'  Awa,  awa,  ye  ill  woman.' 

And  the  opinion  of  these  critics  in  such  a  question  is  certainly 
entitled  to  much  deference." 

•  The  passage  which  follows  is  a  portion  of  the  connecting  link  between  the 
version  (I.)  reprinted  from  Percy's  Reliques,  and  "  Chield  Morice "  (III.),  which 
follows  it  in  MotherweU's  itinsirelsy.    It  occurs  on  page  268. — Editor. 


316  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Nor  did  the  tinkering  end  there,  as  "  some  miserable  verse-maker  " 
took  in  hand  the  task  of  completing  the  ballad  in  accordance  with 
the  final  catastrophe  of  Home's  "Tragedy  of  Douglas;"  which 
"  delectable  continuation,  extending  to  six  stanzas,"  is  here  added 
from  Mr.  Jamieson's  notes  to  "Childe  Maurice." — Popular  Ballads, 
vol.  i.,  p.  21. 

Mr.  Jamieson  states,  that  these  stanzas  "  had  been  handed  about 
in"  or  about  Edinburgh,  "and  found  their  way  into  Mr.  Herd's 
MS.  collection,  from  whence  they  were  extracted  by  Mr.  (afterwards 
Sir" Walter)  Scott,"  who  transmitted  them  to  him. 

He  adds,  that  "they  are  given  to  show  what  dispositions  my 
good  countrymen,  who  can  forge  with  address,  and  who  cannot  have 
manifested  respecting  this  ballad."  The  stanzas  referred  to  are  those 
numbered  53  to  the  end. 

The  poet  Gray,  in  one  of  his  letters,  writes  regarding  this  ballad 
in  these  terms : — "I  have  got  the  old  Scotch  ballad  on  which  Douglas 
was  founded  ;  it  is  divine,  and  as  long  as  from  hence  (Cambridge)  to 
Aston.  Have  you  never  seen  it  ?  Aristotle's  best  rules  are  observed 
in  it  in  a  manner  that  shows  the  author  had  never  read  Aristotle. 
It  begins  in  the  fifth  act  of  the  play  (viz.,  of  Home's  tragedy  of 
Douglas) ;  you  may  read  it  two-thirds  through  without  guessing 
what  it  is  about ;  and  yet,  when  you  come  to  the  end,  it  is  im- 
possible not  to  understand  the  whole  story. " 

It  only  remains  to  add,  that  the  text  of  Percy's  Beliques  is  the  one 
here  chiefly  followed.  The  absurd  orthography  of  that  work  is,  how- 
ever, discarded.  Lines  1  and  2  of  stanza  2  are  added  from  a  chap-book 
version,  as  noted  by  Mr.  Motherwell,  Minstrelsy,  p.  260 ;  while 
stanza  3  is  added  from  a  fragment  given  by  Mr.  Jamieson  {Popular 
Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  17).  Slight  verbal  changes  have  been  made  on 
two  of  these  added  lines,  and  also  as  noted  on  the  last  line  of  stanza 
4.  Lines  160,  161,  169,  and  170  of  the  Beliques  text  are  omitted, 
the  two  last  being  almost  a  repetition  of  the  first  two  lines  of  stanza 
41,  the  last  two  lines  of  which  are  transposed,  as  they  form  lines  171 
and  172  of  the  Beliques  text,  in  which  they  immediately  precede 
those  here  numbered  stanza  44. 

1  Gil  Morice  was  an  earl's  son; 

His  name  it  waxed  wide ; 
It  was  nae  for  his  great  riches, 
Nor  yet  his  meikle  pride. 

2  His  face  was  fair,  lang  was  his  hair, 

In  greenwood  he  did  bide ; 
But  his  fame  was  for  a  lady  gay. 
That  lived  on  Carron  side. 

3  Gil  Morice  sat  in  gude  greenwood, 

He  whistled  and  he  sang : 
"  Where  shall  I  get  a  bonnie  boy 
That  will  my  errand  gang  ? 


GIL  MORICE.  317 


4     "  Where  shall  I  get  a  bounie  boy, 
That  will  win  hose  and  shoon : 
That  will  gae  to  Lord  Barnard's  hall, 
And  tryst  his  ladye  doon  ?  * 

6     "  And  ye  maun  gae  my  errand,  Willie ; 
And  ye  maun  gae  with  pride ; 
When  other  boys  gae  on  their  foot, 
On  horseback  ye  shall  ride." 

6  "  Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  master  dear  I 

I  dare  nae,  for  my  life; 
I'll  no  gae  to  the  bauld  baron's, 
For  to  tryst  forth  his  wife." 

7  "  My  bird,  Willie,  my  boy,  Willie, 

My  dear  Willie,"  he  said ; 
"How  can  ye  strive  against  the  stream? 
For  I  shall  be  obey'd." 

8  "  But  oh,  my  master  dear,"  he  cried, 

"In  greenwood  ye're  yoxir  lane; 
Gi'e  o'er  sic  thochts,  I  wou'd  ye  rede, 
For  fear  ye  shou'd  be  ta'en." 

9  "  Haste,  haste,  I  say,  gae  to  the  hall, 

Bid  her  come  here  with  speed: 
If  ye  refuse  my  high  command, 
I'll  gar  your  body  bleed. 

10  "  And  bid  her  take  this  gay  mantle — 

'Tis  all  gowd  but  the  hem, — 
Bid  her  come  to  the  gude  greenwood, 
And  bring  nane  but  her  lane. 

11  "  And  there  it  is  a  silken  sark,  • 

Her  ain  hand  sew'd  the  sleeve; 

And  bid  her  come  to  Gil  Morice — 

Speir  nae  bauld  baron's  leave." 

12  "  Yes,  I  will  gae  your  black  errand. 

Though  it  be  to  your  cost; 
Since  ye  by  me  will  nae  be  wam'd. 
It 's  ye  shall  find  the  frost. 

13  "  The  baron  he  is  a  man  of  might, 

He  ne'er  cou'd  bide  to  taunt; 

As  ye  will  see  before  it 's  night, 

How  small  ye  ha'e  to  vaunt. 

•  "  And  bid  his  ladye  cum."— Percy's  Tersion. 


318  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAm). 


14  "  And  since  I  maun  your  errand  rin, 

Sae  sair  against  my  will, 
I'se  make  a  vow,  and  keep  it  trow, 
It  shall  be  done  for  ill." 

15  And  when  he  came  to  broken  brig, 

He  bent  his  bow  and  swam; 
And  when  he  came  to  grass  growing, 
Set  down  bis  feet  and  ran. 

16  And  when  he  came  to  Barnard's  hall, 

Wou'd  neither  chap  nor  call ; 
But  set  his  bent  bow  to  his  breast,* 
And  lightly  lap  the  wall. 

17  He  wou'd  nae  tell  the  man  his  errand, 

Though  he  stood  at  the  gate ; 

But  straight  into  the  hall  he  came, 

Where  they  were  sat  at  meat. 

18  "  Hail!  hail!  my  gentle  sire  and  dame! 

My  message  wiuna  wait; 
Dame,  ye  maun  to  the  gude  greenwood 
Before  that  it  be  late. 

19  "  Ye're  bidden  take  this  gay  mantle — 

'Tis  all  gowd  but  the  hem; 
You  maun  gae  to  the  gude  greenwood, 
E'en  by  yoursel'  alane. 

20  "  And  there  it  is,  a  silken  sark  ; 

Your  ain  hand  sew'd  the  sleeve; 
Ye  maun  gae  speak  to  Gil  Morice, 
Speir  nae  bauld  baron's  leave." 

21  The  ladye  stampit  with  her  foot. 

And  winkit  with  her  e'e; 
But  all  that  she  cou'd  say  or  do, 
Forbidden  he  wou'dna  be. 

22  "  It 's  surely  to  my  bow'r- woman; 

It  ne'er  cou'd  be  to  me." 
"  I  brought  it  to  Lord  Barnard's  ladye ; 
I  trow  that  ye  be  she." 

23  Then  up  and  spake  the  wylie  nurse, 

(The  bairn  upon  her  knee,) 

"  If  it  be  come  frae  Gil  Morice, 

It 's  dear  welcome  to  me." 

*  This  line  the  stall  copies  give  thus : — 

But  bent  his  bow  to  his  wliite  breast" — Motherwell 


GIL  MORICE.  319 


24  "Ye  lee,  ye  lee,  ye  filthy  nurse, 

Sae  loud  I  heard  ye  lee ; 
I  brought  it  to  Lord  Barnard's  ladye; 
I  trow  ye  be  nae  she." 

25  Then  up  and  spake  the  bauld  baron, 

An  apgry  man  was  he : 
He 's  ta'en  the  table  with  his  foot, 

Sae  has  he  with  his  knee, 
Till  siller  cup  and  mazer  dish  • 

In  flinders  he  gar'd  flee. 

26  "  Gae,  bring  a  robe  of  your  cleiding, 

That  hings  upon  the  pin ; 

And  I'll  gae  to  the  gude  greenwood. 

And  speak  with  your  leman." 

I 

27  "  Oh,  bide  at  harae  now,  Lord  Barnard, 

I  rede  ye,  bide  at  hame ; 
Ne'er  wyte  a  man  for  violence. 
That  ne'er  wat  ye  with  nane." 

28  Gil  Morice  sat  in  gude  greenwood, 

He  whistled  and  he  sang : 
"  Oh,  what  mean  all  the  folk  coming? 
My  mother  tarries  lang." 

29  [His  hair  was  like  the  threads  of  gold. 

Drawn  frae  Minerva's  loom; 

His  lips  like  roses  drapping  dew. 

His  breath  was  all  perfume. 

30  His  brow  was  like  the  mountain  snow, 

Gilt  by  the  morning  beam; 
His  cheeks  like  living  roses  glow. 
His  een  like  azure  stream. 

31  The  boy  was  clad  in  robes  of  green, 

Sweet  as  the  infant  spring; 

And  like  the  mavis  on  the  bush, 

He  gar'd  the  valleys  ring.] 

32  The  baron  came  to  the  greenwood 

With  meikle  dule  and  care ; 
And  there  he  first  spied  Gil  Morice, 
Kaiming  his  yellow  hair, 

'  Mazer  dish : "  a  drinkiog  cup  of  maple ;  other  editions  read  ezar. — Percy. 


320  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


33  [That  sweetly  waved  around  his  face, 

That  face  beyond  compare; 
He  sang  sae  sweet,  it  might  dispel 
All  rage  but  fell  despair.] 

34  "  Nae  wonder,  nae  wonder,  Gil  Morice, 

My  ladye  lo'ed  thee  weel; 
The  fairest  part  of  my  body 
Is  blacker  than  thy  heel. 

35  "  Yet,  ne'ertheless,  now,  Gil  Morice, 

For  all  thy  great  beautie, 
Ye's  rue  the  day  ye  e'er  was  born — 
That  head  shall  gae  with  me." 

36  Now  he  has  drawn  his  trusty  brand, 

And  slait  it  on  the  strae ; 
And  through  Gil  Morice's  fair  body 
He 's  gar'd  cauld  iron  gae. 

37  And  he  has  ta'en  Gil  Morice's  head, 

And  set  it  on  a  spear; 
The  meanest  man  in  all  his  train 
Has  gotten  that  head  to  bear. 

38  And  he  has  ta'en  Gil  Morice  up. 

Laid  him  across  his  steed. 
And  brought  him  to  his  painted  bow'r. 
And  laid  him  on  a  bed. 

39  The  ladye  sat  on  castle  wall. 

Beheld  baith  dale  and  down; 
And  there  she  saw  Gil  Morice's  head 
Come  trailing  to  the  town. 

40  "  Far  better  I  lo'e  that  bluidy  head, 

Bot  and  that  yellow  hair, 
Than  Lord  Barnard,  and  all  his  lands, 
As  they  lig  here  and  there." 

41  And  she  has  ta'en  her  Gil  Morice, 

And  kiss'd  baith  mouth  and  chin: 
"  Oh,  better  I  lo'e  my  Gil  Morice 
Than  all  my  kith  and  kin  1 

42  "  I  got  ye  in  my  father's  house. 

With  meikle  grief  and  pain ; 
I  brought  thee  up  in  gude  greenwood. 
Under  the  heavy  rain. 


GIL  MORICE.  321 


43  "  Oft  have  I  by  thy  cradle  sat, 

And  fondly  seen  thee  sleep; 

But  now  I  gae  about  thy  grave, 

The  saut  tears  for  to  weep." 

44  "  Away,  away,  ye  ill  woman, 

And  an  ill  death  may  ye  dee: 

If  I  had  kenn'd  he'd  been  your  son, 

He'd  ne'er  been  slain  for  me." 

45  "Upbraid  me  not,  my  Lord  Barnard! 

Upbraid  me  not,  for  shame ! 
With  that  same  spear,  oh,  pierce  my  heart, 
And  put  me  out  of  pain ! 

46  "  Since  nothing  but  Gil  Morice's  head 

Thy  jealous  rage  cou'd  quell. 
Let  that  same  hand  now  take  her  life 
That  ne'er  to  thee  did  ill. 

47  "  To  me  nae  after-days  nor  nights 

Will  e'er  be  saft  and  kind; 

I'll  fill  the  air  with  heavy  sighs. 

And  greet  till  I  am  blind." 

48  "  Enough  of  blood  by  me 's  been  spilt; 

Seek  not  your  death  frae  me; 
I'd  lever  lourd*  it  had  been  mysel' 
Than  either  him  or  thee. 

49  "  With  waeful  heart  I  hear  your  plaint; 

Sair,  sair  I  rue  the  deed, 
That  e'er  this  cursed  hand  of  mine 
Had  gar'd  his  body  bleed. 

60     "  Dry  up  your  tears,  my  winsome  dame, 
Ye  ne'er  can  heal  his  wound; 
Ye  see  his  head  upon  the  spear. 
His  heart 's  bluid  on  the  ground. 

51  "  I  curse  the  hand  that  did  the  deed. 

The  heart  that  thought  the  ill; 
The  feet  that  bore  me  with  sic  speed, 
The  comely  youth  to  kill. 

52  "  I'll  aye  lament  for  Gil  Morice, 

As  if  he  were  mine  ain ; 
I'll  ne'er  forget  the  dreary  day 
On  which  the  youth  was  slain." 

*  "Lever  lourd :  "  rather  by  far. 
T 


322  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 

53  [She  heard  him  speak,  but  fell  despair 

Sat  rooted  in  her  heart; 
She  heard  him,  and  she  heard  nae  mair. 
Though  sair  she  rued  the  smart. 

54  Fast  to  the  steep  high  craig  she  ran. 

That  o'er  the  water  hung: 
"  I  come,  I  come,  dear  Gil  Morice ! " 
And  down  herself  she  flung. 

55  Syne  word  came  to  Lord  Barnard's  hall: 

"Fye,  fye!  gar  run  with  speed; 
My  ladye  o'er  the  craig  did  fall; 
I  fear  ere  this  she 's  dead." 

56  "  'Twas  me,  'twas  me  that  kill'd  the  dame; 

'Twas  me  Gil  Morice  slew : 
Oh,  how  I've  blasted  all  my  fame. 
And  all  my  honour  true ! 

57  "  But  soon,  soon  will  I  make  amends : 

My  horse  gar  saddle  swift ; 
Farewell,  farewell,  my  merry  men ! " 
And  off  he  flew  like  drift. 

58  He  came  where  Scotland's  valiant  sons 

Their  fierce  invaders  fought; 
Among  the  thickest  fight  he  runs. 
And  meets  the  death  he  sought.] 


THE  BIETH  OF  EOBIN  HOOD. 

The  existence  of  "  this  bold  outlaw  "  has  been  called  in  questiott 
by  some  recent  writers,  whose  views  on  the  subject  are  adopted  and 
propounded  by  Professor  Child,  in  his  Robin  Hood  collection,  (English 
and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  v. )  The  discussion  of  this  question  belongs, 
however,  rather  to  the  English  than  to  the  Scotish  circle  of  these 
ballads. 

It  is,  nevertheless,  proper  to  state  here,  that  "Eobin  Hood,  with  Little 
John,  and  their  accomplices,"  are  mentioned  by  Wyntoun  in  his 
Scottish  Chronykil,  under  the  year  a.d.  1283 ;  by  Fordun  or  Bower, 
in  the  Scotichronicon,  under  a.d.  1266  ;  and  by  Mair,  in  his  Historia 
Majoris  Brittanice,  under  the  reign  of  Eichard  the  First  (a.d. 
1189-99). 

"  A  Gest  of  Eobyn  Hode  "  formed  one  of  a  series  of  chap-books 
"of  popular  poetry,"  printed  at  Edinburgh,  "by  Walter  Chapman 
and  Andrew  Myllar,  in  the  year  MDVIII."* 

*  A  volume  of  these  issues,  believed  with  good  reason  to  be  unique,  is  fortunately 
preserved  in  the  Advocates'  Library;  and  it  has  been  admirably  reproduced  in/ac- 
sitnik,  "under  the  careful  supervision  of  Mr.  David  Laing."    Edinburgh,  1827. 


THE  BIRTH  OF  ROBIN  HOOD.  323 


"  The  appearance  of  which  long  ballad,"  says  Mr.  Motherwell,  "is 
not  only  an  additional  proof  of  the  high  popularity  of  that  bold 
outlaw  in  Scotland,  but  goes  to  establish  the  fact,  that  the  celebrity 
of  his  name  in  song  was  not  alone  owing  to  the  carping  of  England's 
minstrels,  but  to  the  equal  labours  of  northern  gleemen.  It  is  not 
meant,  however,  to  claim  this  '  Gest '  as  a  Scottish  production,  though 
there  certainly  is  some  ground  to  do  so  ;  its  appearance  in  Scotland 
preceding  its  imprint,  by  Wynkin  de  Worde,  by  some  years.  Be- 
tween the  Scottish  and  English  impression  there  occurs  no  diiference, 
save  in  a  few  orthographical  points." — Minstrelsy,  Introduction, 
p.  Ivi. 

"Kobin  Hood,"  says  Mr.  Kinloch,  "was  anciently  celebrated  in 
Scotland  by  an  annual  play  or  festival ;  and  the  following  extract, 
while  it  shows  the  estimation  in  which  this  festival  was  regarded  by 
the  populace,  displays  at  the  same  time  their  lawless  conduct,  and  the 
weakness  of  the  civU  power,  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh  in  the  sixteenth 
century  : — 'The  game  of  Eobin  Hood  was  celebrated  in  the  month 
of  May.  The  populace  assembled  previous  to  the  celebration  of  this 
festival,  and  chose  some  respectable  member  of  the  corporation  to 
officiate  in  the  character  of  Robin  Hood,  and  another  in  that  of  Little 
John,  his  squire.  Upon  the  day  appointed,  which  was  a  Sunday  or 
a  holiday,  the  people  assembled  in  military  array,  and  went  to  some 
adjoining  field,  where,  either  as  actors  or  spectators,  the  whole 
inhabitants  of  the  respective  towns  were  convened.  In  this  field 
they  probably  amused  themselves  with  a  representation  of  Robin 
Hood's  predatory  exploits,  or  of  his  encounters  with  the  officers  of 
justice.  As  numerous  meetings  for  disorderly  mirth  are  apt  to 
engender  tumult,  when  the  minds  of  the  people  came  to  be  agitated 
with  religious  controversy,  it  was  found  necessary  to  repress  the  game 
of  Robin  Hood  by  public  statute.  The  populace  were  by  no  means 
willing  to  relinquish  their  favourite  amusement.  Year  after  year  the 
magistrates  of  Edinburgh  were  obliged  to  exert  their  authority  in 
repressing  this  game,  often  inefifectuaUy.  In  the  year  1561,  the  mob 
were  so  enraged  in  being  disappointed  in  n^aking  a  Robin  Hood,  that 
they  rose  in  mutiny,  seized  on  the  city  gates,  committed  robberies 
upon  strangers ;  and  one  of  the  ringleaders  being  condemned  by  the 
magistrates  to  be  hanged,  the  mob  forced  open  the  jail,  set  at  liberty 
the  criminal  and  all  the  prisoners,  and  broke  in  pieces  the  gibbet 
erected  at  the  cross  for  executing  the  malefactor.  They  next  assaulted 
the  magistrates,  who  were  sitting  in  the  council  chamber,  and  who 
fled  to  the  tolbooth  for  shelter,  where  the  mob  attacked  them, 
battering  the  doors,  and  pouring  stones  through  the  windows. 
Application  was  made  to  the  deacons  of  the  corporations  to  appease 
the  tumult.  Remaining,  however,  unconcerned  spectators,  they  made 
this  answer  : —  They  will  he  magistrates  alone :  let  them  rule  the  multi- 
tude alone.  The  magistrates  were  kept  in  confinement  till  they  made 
proclamation  be  published,  ofl'ering  indemnity  to  the  rioters  upon 
laying  down  their  arms.  Still,  however,  so  late  as  the  year  1592, 
we  find  the  General  Assembly  complaining  of  the  profanation  of  the 
Sabbath,  by  making  of  Robin  Hood  plays.' — Amot's  History  of 
Edinburgh,  ch.  ii." 

The  fame  of  this   illustrious   outlaw,  or  mythic  hero,   "and  his 


324  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


merry  men,"  which  had  all  but  died  out  in  Scotland,  has  been  again 
revived  and  extended  by,  and  since,  the  publication  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  Ivanhoe. 

With  regard  to  the  ballad  which  follows,  and  the  one  which  comes 
next  in  order.  Professor  Child  remarks,  that  ' '  in  character  they  have 
no  affinity  with  the  recognized  circle  of  Robin  Hood  ballads.  The 
story  is  of  a  more  ancient  cast,  and  also  of  a  type  common  to  the 
northern  nations ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  that  Robin  Hood  and  Little 
John  were,  in  the  day  of  their  popularity,  made  to  displace  heroes 
of  immemorial  prescription,  in  order  to  give  eclat  to  an  old  tale." — 
English  and  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  v.,  p.  173. 

The  editor  of  the  present  work  has  much  pleasure  in  quoting  these 
words  of  Professor  Child,  as  they  so  admirably  exyjress,  in  the 
language  of  an  American  of  ability  and  impartiality,  ideas  which  he 
had  independently  arrived  at ;  but  which,  if  expressed  by  a  Scotsman, 
would  certainly  expose  him  to  the  vituperative  abuse  of  some  shallow 
and  conceited  English  critic ;  a  class  as  full  of  narrow  and  ignorant 
prejudice — particularly  about  and  against  everything  Scotish — as  an 
egg  is  full  of  meat. 

The  grounds  for  the  views  expressed  by  Professor  Child,  and  here 
coincided  in,  may  be  found  by  consulting  the  preceding  ballads, — 
"Leesome  Brand,"  p.  59;  "Earl  Douglas  and  Dame  Oliphant,"  p. 
63  ;  and  "  Sweet  Willie  and  Fair  Janet,"  p.  67,  with  their  respective 
introductions. 

Of  the  ballad  which  follows,  two  versions  have  appeared,  both 
under  the  same  title  as  the  above. 

I.  In  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  44,  as  "taken 
down  by  the  editor  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Brown, 
and  given,"  by  him,  "without  the  alteration  of  a  single 
word." 

II.  In  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  1. 

The  first  five  and  the  last  two  stanzas  of  the  text  which  follows 
are  taken  from  Mr.  Jamieson's  version,  the  intermediate  stanzas 
being  chiefly  from  Mr.  Buchan's  version. 

Stanza  5,  as  here  given  from  Mr.  Jamieson's  version,  is  similar  to 
stanza  14  of  "Earl  Douglas  and  Dame  Oliphant,"  while  the  three 
which  follow  it  evidently  narrate  the  same  incident  as  that  described 
in  stanzas  17  and  18  of  the  same  ballad.  The  three  stanzas  referred 
to  run — 

" '  But  yell  come  to  my  bow'r,  Willie, 
Just  as  the  sun  gaes  down; 
And  kep  me  in  your  arms  twa, 
And  letna  me  fa'  down.' 

"  Oh,  when  the  sun  was  now  gane  down, 
He  '8  done  him  till  her  bow'r; 
And  there,  by  the  lee  lioht  o'  the  moon. 
Her  window  she  lookit  o'er. 

"  Intil  a  robe  o'  red  scarlet 
She  lap,  fearless  o'  harm; 
And  Willie  was  large  o'  lith  and  limb, 
And  kepit  her  in  his  arm." 


THE  BIRTH  OF  ROBIN  HOOD.  325 


1  Oh,  Willie 's  large  of  limb  and  lith, 

And  come  of  high  degree ; 
And  he  is  gane  to  Earl  Richard, 
To  serve  for  meat  and  fee. 

2  Earl  Richard  had  but  ae  daughter, 

Fair -as  a  lily  flower; 
And  they  made  up  their  love-contract, 
Like  proper  paramour. 

3  It  fell  upon  a  summer's  night, 

When  leaves  were  fair  and  green, 
That  Willie  met  his  gay  ladye, 
Intil  the  woods  alane. 

4  "  Oh,  narrow  is  my  gown,  Willie, 

That  wont  to  be  sae  wide ; 

And  gane  is  all  my  fair  colour, 

That  wont  to  be  my  pride. 

5  "  But  if  my  father  shou'd  get  word 

What 's  pass'd  between  us  twa, 

Before  that  he  shou'd  eat  or  drink, 

He'd  hang  you  o'er  that  wa'." 

6  "  Will  ye  gae  to  my  mother's  bow'r, 

Stands  on  yon  stately  green? 
Or  will  ye  bide  in  gude  greenwood, 
Where  ye  will  not  be  seen?" 

7  She  chose  to  bide  in  gude  greenwood, 
^  Sae  on  they  walk'd  miles  three; 

When  this  ladye,  being  sair  worn  out, 
V  Lay  down  beneath  a  tree. 

8  "  Oh,  for  a  few  of  yon  junipers, 

To  cheer  my  heart  again; 
And  likewise  for  a  gude  midwife. 
To  ease  me  of  my  pain." 

9  "  I'll  bring  to  you  yon  junipers, 

To  cheer  your  heart  again ; 
And  I'll  be  to  you  a  gude  midwife, 
To  ease  you  of  your  pain." 

10     "  Haud  far  awa  frae  me,  Willie, 
For  sae  it  maunna  be ; 
That 's  nae  the  fashion  of  our  land; 
Sae  haud  awa  frae  me. 


326  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


11  "  Ye'll  take  your  small  sword  by  your  side, 

Your  buckler  and  your  bow, 
And  ye'll  gae  down  thro'  gude  greenwood, 
To  hunt  the  deer  and  roe. 

12  "  And  you  will  stay  in  gude  greenwood, 

And  with  the  chase  go  on, 
Until  a  white  hind  pass  you  by; 
Then  straight  to  me  you'll  come." 

13  He 's  girt  his  sword  then  by  his  side, 

Ta'en  buckler  and  ta'en  bow; 
And  he  is  on  thro'  gude  greenwood, 
To  hunt  the  deer  and  roe. 

14  And  in  the  greenwood  he  did  stay, 

And  there  the  chase  he  plied. 
Until  a  white  hind  pass'd  him  by; 
Then  to  his  love  he  hied. 

15  And  there  he  found  her  lying  dead, 

Beneath  the  green  oak  tree ; 
But  a  sweet  young  son  that  she  had  born, 

Right  lively  seem'd  to  be. 
"  Alas,  alas!"  young  Willie  said, 

"  A  mournful  scene  to  me! 

16  "  Altho'  my  sweet  babe  is  alive, 

It  but  adds  to  my  woe ; 
For  how  to  nourish  this  poor  babe, 
Is  more  than  I  do  know." 

17  He  look'd  east,  and  he  look'd  west. 

To  see  what  he  could  see ; 
Then  spied  Earl  Richard  of  Huntingdon, 
With  a  goodly  companie. 

18  Then  Willie  fled,  and  hid  himself 

Amang  the  leaves  sae  green, 
That  he  might  hear  what  might  be  said,. 
And  see,  yet  nae  be  seen. 

19  For  Earl  Richard  had  dream'd  a  dream 

About  his  daughter  dear ; 
He  started  wildly  from  his  sleep. 
And  sought  her  far  and  near. 

20  They  sought  her  back,  they  sought  her  fore. 

They  sought  her  up  and  down ; 
Till  they  found  her  dead  in  gude  greenwood, 
Beside  her  new-born  son. 


ROSE  THE  RED  AND  WHITE  LILY.  327 


21  Earl  Richard  took  up  the  bonnie  boy, 

And  kiss'd  him  tenderly ; 
Says — "  Tho'  I  would  your  father  hang, 
Your  mother  was  dear  to  me. 

22  "  And  if  ye  live  until  I  die, 

My  bow'rs  and  lands  you'll  heir : 
You  are  my  only  daughter's  child, 
But  her  I  ne'er  had  mair." 

23  His  daughter  he  buried  in  gude  churchyard, 

In  a  dreary  mournful  mood ; 
And  he  brought  the  boy  to  church  that  day, 
And  christen'd  him  Robin  Hood. 

24  This  boy  was  bred  in  the  earl's  halls. 

Till  he  a  man  became ; 
But  lov'd  to  hunt  in  gude  greenwood. 
To  raise  his  noble  fame. 

25  There 's  mony  ane  sings  of  grass,  of  grass, 

And  mony  ane  sings  of  corn  ; 
And  mony  ane  sings  of  Robin  Hood, 
Kens  little  where  he  was  born ! 

26  It  wasna  in  the  gilded  hall, 

Nor  in  the  painted  bow'r  ; 
But  it  was  in  the  gude  greenwood, 
Amang  the  lily  flower. 


ROSE  THE  RED  AND  WHITE  LILY. 

Of  this  ballad  three  versions  have  been  published : — 

I.  In  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  ilL,  p.  208,  "chiefly  from  Mrs. 
Brown's  MS."  The  name  of  Kobin  Hood  does  not  occur  in 
this  version;  but  Sir  Walter  surmised  that  it  "oririnally 
related  to"  him,  "as  mention  is  made  of  Bamisdale,  his 
favourite  abode." 

II.  In  Kiuloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  69. 

III.  In  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  67. 

Scott's  and  Buchan's  versions  are  published  under  the  same  title 
bs  the  above,  and  Kinloch's  under  the  title  of  "The  Wedding  of 
^obin  Hood  and  Little  John."  Stanzas  1  to  26  inclusive,  as  here 
printed,  are  collated  from  versions  L  and  III.,  the  remainlDg  stanzas 
being  from  the  former. 


328  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


1  Now  word  is  gane  through  all  the  land — 

Gude  seile  that  it  sae  spread! — 
To  Rose  the  Red  and  White  Lily, 
Their  mother  dear  was  dead. 

2  Their  father 's  married  a  bauld  woman, 

And  brought  her  o'er  the  sea; 
Twa  sprightly  youths,  her  ain  young  sons, 
Intil  her  companie. 

3  And  they  were  twa  as  gallant  youths 

As  ever  brake  man's  bread ; 
And  the  ane  of  them  lo'ed  her.  White  Lily, 
And  the  other,  Rose  the  Red. 

4  They  fix'd  their  eyes  on  those  ladyes. 

On  shipboard  as  they  stood, 
And  sware,  if  e'er  they  wan  to  land. 
These  ladyes  they  wou'd  wed. 

5  But  there  was  nae  a  quarter  pass'd, 

A  quarter  pass'd  but  three. 
Till  these  young  lovers  all  were  fond 
Of  other's  companie. 

C     Oh,  bigg'd  ha'e  they  a  bigly  bow'r 
Fast  by  the  sea-beat  strand; 
And  there  was  mair  mirth  that  bow'r  within, 
Than  in  all  their  father's  land. 

7  The  knights  they  harpit  in  their  bow'r, 

The  ladyes  sew'd  and  sang ; 
The  mirth  that  was  in  that  chamber 
Through  all  the  place  it  rang. 

8  Then  out  it  spake  their  step-mother ; 

At  the  bigly  bow'r  stood  she  : 
"  I'm  sair  plagu'd  with  your  troublesome  noise, 
That  ye  call  melodic. 

9  "0  Rose  the  Red,  ye  sing  too  loud, 

While,  Lily,  your  voice  is  Strang; 
But  if  I  live  and  brook  my  life, 
I'se  gar  ye  change  your  sang." 

10     "  We  maunna  change  our  loud,  loud  sang, 
That  sae  our  hearts  doth  cheer; 
We  winna  change  our  loud,  loud  sang. 
But  aye  we'll  sing  the  mair. 


ROSE  THE  RED  AND  WHITE  LILY.  329 


11  "  We  never  sung  the  sang,  mother, 

But  we'll  sing  o'er  again  ; 
We'll  take  our  harps  into  our  hands, 
And  sing  with  might  and  main." 

12  She 's  call'd  upon  her  eldest  son  ; 

"  Come  here,  my  son,  to  me ; 
It  fears  me  sair,  my  Bauld  Arthur, 
That  ye  maun  sail  the  sea." 

13  'If  sae  it  maun  be,  my  dear  mother. 

At  your  bidding  I  shall  be ; 
But  never  be  waur  to  Rose  the  Red 
Than  ye  ha'e  been  to  me." 

14  She 's  call'd  upon  her  youngest  son  : 

"  Come  here,  my  son,  to  me ; 
It  fears  me  sair,  my  Brown  Robin, 
That  ye  maun  sail  the  sea." 

15  "  If  it  fear  ye  sair,  my  mother  dear, 

At  your  bidding  I  shall  be; 
But  never  be  waur  to  White  Lily 
Than  ye  ha'e  been  to  me." 

16  "  Now,  baud  your  tongues,  ye  foolish  boys, 

For  small  shall  be  their  part; 
They  ne'er  again  shall  see  your  face. 
Though  their  very  hearts  shou'd  break. 

17  "Make  haste,  make  haste,  my  twa  young  sonSj 

And  boun'  ye  for  the  sea; 
But  Rose  the  Red  and  White  Lily 
Shall  stay  in  bow'r  with  me." 

18  "  0  God  forbid,"  said  her  eldest  son, 

"  That  we  shou'd  cross  the  sea, 
Unless  ye  be  to  our  twa  loves 
As  ye  to  them  shou'd  be." 

19  "  Yet,  nevertheless,  my  pretty  sons, 

Ye'U  boun'  ye  for  the  faem; 
Let  Rose  the  Red  and  White  Lily 
Stay  in  their  bow'r  at  hame." 

20  "  Oh,  when  with  you  we  came  alang, 

We  felt  the  stormy  sea ; 
But  we  shall  now  go  where  we  list, 
Nor  speir  the  leave  of  thee." 


330  BALLAD  MmSTEELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


21  Then  with  her  harsh  and  boist'rous  words, 

She  forced  these  lads  away; 
While  Rose  the  Red  and  White  Lily 
Still  in  their  bow'rs  did  stay. 

22  Her  twa  sons  hied  to  the  king's  court, 

His  chamberlains  to  be; 
But  Brown  Robin  has  slain  a  knight, 
And  to  greenwood  did  flee. 

23  When  Rose  the  Red  and  White  Lily 

Saw  their  twa  loves  were  gane, 
Sune  did  they  drop  the  loud,  loud  sang, 
And  do  willy  did  maen. 

24  And  there  was  not  a  quarter  pass'd, 

A  quarter  pass'd  but  ane, 
Till  Rose  the  Red  in  rags  she  gaed. 
While  Lily's  claithes  grew  thin. 

25  With  bitter  usage,  every  day 

The  ladyes  they  thought  lang; 
"Alas!  alas!"  said  Rose  the  Red, 
"  She 's  gar'd  us  change  our  sang." 

26  And  out  then  spake  her.  White  Lily; 

"  My  sister,  we'll  be  gane : 
Why  shou'd  we  stay  in  Barnisdale, 
To  mourn  our  bow'r  within  ?  " 

27  Oh,  cutted  ha'e  they  their  green  claithing, 

A  little  abune  their  knee ; 
And  sae  ha'e  they  their  yellow  hair, 
A  little  abune  their  bree. 

28  And  left  ha'e  they  that  bonnie  bow'r, 

To  cross  the  raging  sea; 
And  they  ha'e  gane  to  a  holy  chapel 
Was  christened  by  Our  Ladye. 

29  And  they  ha'e  changed  their  twa  names, 

Sae  far  frae  ony  toun; 
And  the  ane  of  them 's  hight  Sweet  Willie, 
And  the  other  Rouge  the  Rounde. 

30  Between  the  twa  a  promise  is. 

They  ha'e  sworn  it  to  fulfil ; 
Whenever  the  ane  blew  a  bugle-horn, 
The  other  shou'd  come  her  till. 


ROSE  THE   EED  AND  WHITE  LILT.  331 


31  Sweet  Willie 's  gane  to  the  king's  court, 

Her  true  love  for  to  see; 
And  Rouge  the  Rounde  to  gude  greenwood, 
Brown  Robin's  man  to  be. 

32  Oh,  it  fell  ance  upon  a  time, 

They  putted  at  the  stane; 
And  seven  foot  ayont  them  all, 
Brown  Robin's  gar'd  it  gang. 

33  She  lifted  the  heavy  putting-stane. 

And  gave  a  sad  "  Ohon!" 
Then  out  bespake  him,  Brown  Robin, 
"  But  that 's  a  woman's  moan ! " 

34  "  Oh,  kenn'd  ye  by  my  rosy  lips, 

Or  by  my  yellow  hair ; 
Or  kenn'd  ye  by  my  milk-white  breast, 
Ye  never  yet  saw  bare?" 

35  "I  kenn'd  na  by  your  rosy  lips, 

Nor  by  your  yellow  hair; 
But,  come  to  your  bow'r  whaever  likes. 
They'll  find  a  ladye  there." 

36  "  Oh,  if  ye  come  my  bow'r  within, 

Through  fraud,  deceit,  or  guile. 
With  this  same  brand,  that 's  in  my  hand, 
I  vow  I  will  thee  kill." 

37  "  Yet  durst  I  come  into  your  bow'r. 

And  ask  nae  leave,"  quo'  he; 
"  And  with  this  brand,  that 's  in  my  hand. 
Wave  danger  back  on  thee." 

38  About  the  dead  hour  of  the  night, 

The  ladye's  bow'r  was  broken; 
And,  about  the  first  hour  of  the  day. 
The  fair  knave  bairn  was  gotten. 

39  When  days  were  gane  and  months  were  come, 

The  ladye  was  sad  and  wan; 
And  aye  she  cried  for  a  bow'r-woman, 
For  to  wait  her  upon. 

40  Then  up  and  spake  him,  Brown  Robin, 

"  And  what  needs  this ?  "  quo'  he; 
"  Or  what  can  woman  do  for  you. 
That  canna  be  done  by  me  ?  " 


332  BALLAD  illNSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


41  "  'Twas  never  my  mother's  fashion,"  she  said, 

"  Nor  shall  it  e'er  be  mine, 
That  belted  knights  should  e'er  remain 
While  ladyes  dree'd  their  pine. 

42  "  But  if  ye  take  that  bugle-horn, 

And  wind  a  blast  sae  shrill, 

I  ha'e  a  brother  in  j'onder  court, 

Will  come  me  quickly  till." 

43  "  Oh,  if  ye  ha'e  a  brother  on  earth 

That  ye  lo'e  mair  than  me, 
Ye  may  blow  the  horn  yoursel',"  he  says, 
"  For  a  blast  I  winna  gi'e." 

44  She 's  ta'en  the  bugle  in  her  hand, 

And  blawn  baith  loud  and  shrill; 
Sweet  William  started  at  the  sound, 
And  came  her  quickly  till. 

45  Oh,  up  then  starts  him,  Brown  Robin, 

And  swore  by  Our  Ladye, 
"  No  man  shall  come  into  this  bow'r, 
But  first  maun  fight  with  me." 

46  Oh,  they  ha'e  fought  the  wood  within, 

Till  the  sun  was  going  down ; 
And  drops  of  blood,  fi-ae  Eose  the  Red, 
Came  pouring  to  the  ground. 

47  She  leant  her  back  against  an  aik, 

Said — "Robin,  let  me  be; 
For  it  is  a  ladye  bred  and  born. 
Has  fought  this  day  with  thee." 

48  Oh,  seven  foot  he  started  back, 

Cried — "  Alas  and  woe  is  me ! 
For  I  wished  never,  in  all  my  life, 
A  woman's  bluid  to  see : 

49  "  And  that  all  for  the  knightly  vow 

I  swore  to  Our  Ladye; 
But  mair  for  the  sake  of  ae  fair  maid. 
Whose  name  was  White  Lily." 

60    Then  out  and  spake  her.  Rouge  the  Rounde, 
And  leugh  right  heartilie: 
"  She  has  been  with  ye  this  year  and  mair, 
Though  ye  wistna  it  was  she." 


ROSE  THE  RED  AND   WHITE  LILY.  838 


61     Now  word  has  gane  through  all  the  land, 
Before  a  month  was  gane, 
That  a  forester's  page,  in  gude  greenwood, 
Had  born  a  bonnie  son. 

52  The  marvel  gaed  to  the  king's  court, 

And  to  the  king  himsel'; 
"  Now,  by  my  fae,"  the  king  did  say, 
"  The  like  was  never  heard  tell ! " 

53  Then  out  and  spake  him,  Bauld  Arthur, 

And  laugh'd  right  loud  and  hie : 
"  I  trow  some  May  has  plaid  the  loon,* 
And  fled  her  ain  countrie." 

54  "  Bring  me  my  steed,"  the  king  'gan  say; 

"  My  bow  and  arrows  keen; 
And  I'll  gae  hunt  in  yonder  wood. 
And  see  what 's  to  be  seen." 

55  "  If  it  please  your  grace,"  quo'  Bauld  Arthur, 

"  My  liege,  I'll  gang  with  thee; 
And  seek  there  for  a  bonnie  page. 
That 's  stray'd  awa  frae  me." 

56  And  they  ha'e  chased  in  gude  greenwood, 

The  buck  but  and  the  rae, 
Till  they  drew  near  Brown  Robin's  bow'r, 
About  the  close  of  day. 

57  Then  out  and  spake  the  king  himsel', 

Says — "  Arthur,  look  and  see, 

If  yon  be  not  your  favourite  page 

That  leans  against  yon  tree  ?  " 

58  Oh,  Arthur's  ta'en  a  bugle-horn. 

And  blawn  a  blast  sae  shrill ; 
Sweet  Willie  started  to  her  feet, 
And  ran  him  quickly  tilL 

59  "  Oh,  wanted  ye  your  meat,  Willie, 

Or  wanted  ye  your  fee ; 
Or  gat  ye  e'er  an  angry  word, 
That  ye  ran  awa  frae  me?" 

GO    "  I  wanted  nought,  my  master  dear, — 
To  me  ye  aye  was  good ; 
I  came  to  see  my  ae  brother. 
That  wons  in  this  greenwood." 

•  "Loon:"  roguo. 


334  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Gl     Then  out  bespake  the  king  again, — 
"  My  boy,  now  tell  to  me, 
Who  dwells  into  yon  bigly  bow'r, 
Beneath  yon  green  aik  tree  ?  " 

62  "  Oh,  pardon  me,"  said  Sweet  Willie, 

"  My  liege,  I  darena  tell ; 
And  gangna  near  yon  outlaw's  bow'r, 
For  fear  they  shou'd  you  kill." 

63  "  Oh,  hand  your  tongue,  my  bonnie  boy, 

For  I  winna  be  said  nay; 
But  I  will  gang  yon  bow'r  within, 
Betide  me  weal  or  wae." 

64  They  have  lighted  frae  their  milk-white  steeds. 

And  saftlie  entered  in; 
And  there  they  saw  her.  White  Lily, 
Nursing  her  bonnie  young  son. 

65  "Now,  by  the  mass,"  the  king  he  said, 

"  This  is  a  comely  sight ; 
I  trow,  instead  of  a  forester's  man. 
This  is  a  ladye  bright !  " 

66  Oh,  out  and  spake  her,  Eose  the  Red, 

And  fell  low  on  her  knee  : 
"  Oh,  pardon  us,  my  gracious  liege. 
And  our  story  I'll  tell  thee. 

67  "  Our  father  is  a  wealthy  lord, 

Lives  into  Barnisdale ; 
But  we  had  a  wicked  step-mother. 
That  wrought  us  meikle  bayle. 

68  "  Yet  had  she  twa  as  full  fair  sons. 

As  e'er  the  sun  did  see; 
The  ane  of  them  lo'ed  my  sister  dear, 
The  other  said  he  lo'ed  me." 

69  Then  out  and  cried  him,  Bauld  Arthur, 

As  by  the  king  he  stood : 
"  Now,  by  the  faith  of  my  body, 
This  shou'd  be  Eose  the  Eed ! " 

70  The  king  has  sent  for  robes  of  green, 

And  girdles  of  shining  gold  ; 
And  sune  the  ladyes  busk'd  themselves, 
Sae  glorious  to  behold. 


JELLON  GRAME.  335 


71  Then  in  and  came  him,  Brown  Robin, 

Frae  hunting  of  the  deer ; 
But  when  he  saw  the  king  himsel', 
He  started  back  for  fear. 

72  The  king  has  ta'en  Robin  by  the  hand, 

And  bade  him  nothing  dread ; 
But  quit  for  aye  the  gude  greenwood, 
And  come  to  the  court  with  speed. 

73  The  king  has  ta'en  White  Lily's  son. 

And  set  him  on  his  knee  ; 
Says — "  If  ye  live  to  wield  a  brand, 
My  bowman  thou  shall  be." 

74  Then  they  have  gane  to  holy  chapel. 

And  there  had  fair  wedding ; 
And  when  they  came  to  the  king's  court, 
For  joy  the  bells  did  ring. 


JELLON  GRAME. 


The  following  ballad  has  been  collated  from  one  of  the  same  name, 
which  appears  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iiL,  p.  164,  and  from  one 
entitled,  "  May-a-Eow,"  given  by  Buchan  in  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii., 
p.  231.  Mr.  Motherwell  mentions  another  version,  "differing  in  a 
few  immaterial  points  "  from  Scott's,  which  he  had  "  heard  imder  the 
title  of  'Hynde  Henry  and  May  Margerie.'" 

With  reference  to  the  first-named  version,  Sir  Walter  Scott  states, 
that  it  "is  pubhshed  from  tradition,  with  some  conjectural  e-nenda- 
tions,"  and  "corrected  by  a  copy  in  Mrs.  Brown's  MS.,  from  which 
it  differs  in  the  concluding  stanzas.  Some  verses  are  apparently 
modernized. 

"  Jellon  seems  to  be  the  same  name  with  Jyllian  or  Julian.  'Jyl 
of  Brentford's  Testament'  is  mentioned  in  Warton's  History  of 
Poetry,  vol.  ii.,  p.  40.  The  name  repeatedly  occurs  in  old  ballads, 
sometimes  as  that  of  a  man,  at  other  times  as  that  of  a  woman.  Of 
the  former  is  an  instance  in  the  ballad  of  'The  Knight  and  the  Shep- 
herd's Daughter.' — Reliqitea  of  Ancient  Poetry,  vol.  iii,  p.  72  ; — 

'  Some  do  call  me  Jack,  sweetheart, 
And  some  do  call  me  Jille.' 

"Witton  Gilbert,  a  village  four  miles  west  of  Durham,  is,  through- 
out the  bishopric,  pronounced  Witton  Jilbert.  We  have  also  tLe 
common  name  of  Giles,  always  in  Scotland  pronounced  Jill.  For 
Gille,  or  Juliana,  as  a  female  name,  we  have  Fair  Gillian  of  Croydon, 
and  a  thousand  authorities.  Such  being  the  case,  the  editor  must 
enter  his  protest  against  the  conversion  of  Gil  Morrice  into  Child 


336  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


Maurice,  an  epithet  of  cliivalry.  All  the  circumstances  in  that  ballad 
argue,  that  the  unfortunate  hero  was  an  obscure  and  very  young  man, 
who  had  never  received  the  honour  of  knighthood.  At  any  rate, 
there  can  be  no  reason,  even  were  internal  evidence  totally  wanting, 
for  altering  a  well-known  proper  name,  which,  till  of  late  years,  has 
been  the  uniform  title  of  the  ballad." 

From  the  first  portion  of  the  above  extract  we  are  led  to  infer 
that  Mr.  Biichan's  is  the  more  genuine  text  of  the  two.  Stanzas  5  to 
7  inclusive,  10,  13  to  15  inclusive,  17,  18,  and  28  to  30  inclusive,  are 
from  Mr.  Buchan's  version — the  remaining  18  stanzas  being  from  Sir 
Walter  Scott's. 

The  ballad  seems  to  have  some  connection  with  the  Scotish  Robin 
Hood  series. 

1  Oh,  Jellon  Grame  sat  in  Silverwood ;  * 

He  sharp'd  his  broadsword  lang; 
And  he  has  call'd  his  little  foot-page, 
An  errand  for  to  gang. 

2  "  Win  lip,  my  bonnie  boy,"  he  says, 

"  As  quickly  as  ye  may ; 
For  ye  maun  gang  for  Lily  Flower, 
Before  the  break  of  day." 

3  The  boy  has  buckled  his  belt  about. 

And  through  the  greenwood  ran ; 
And  he  came  to  the  ladye's  bow'r, 
Before  the  day  did  dawn. 

4  "  Oh,  sleep  ye,  wake  ye,  Lily  Flower? 

The  red  sun's  on  the  rain : 
■'•    Ye're  bidden  come  to  Silverwood ; 

But  I  doubt  ye'U  never  win  hame." 

5  Fair  Lily  Flower  lap  on  her  steed. 

And  quickly  rade  away ; 
She  hadna  ridden  but  half  a  mile. 
Till  a  warning  voice  did  say, — 

G     "  Turn  back,  turn  back,  ye  vent'rou  s  maid, 
Nae  farther  must  ye  go ; 
For  the  boy  who  leads  your  bridle  rein 
Leads  you  to  your  o'erthrow." 

*  Silverwood,  mentioned  in  tliis  ballad,  occurs  in  a  medley  MS.  song,  which  Rpenis 
to  have  been  copied  from  the  first  edition  of  the  Aberdeen  cantus,  penes  John  Gl. 
Dalyell,  Esq.,  advocate.  One  line  only  ia  cited,  apparently  the  beginning  of  some 
song, — 

"  Silverwood,  gin  ye  were  mine." 


JELLON  GRAME,  337 


7  Yet  all  these  words  she  ne'er  did  mind, 

But  fast  away  did  ride ; 
And  the  little  boy  wha  came  for  her, 
He  ran  fast  by  her  side. 

8  She  hadna  ridden  a  mile,  a  mile, 

A  mile  but  barely  three, 
Ere  she  came  to  a  new-made  grave, 
Beneath  a  green  aik  tree, 

9  Oh,  up  then  started  Jellon  Grame, 

Out  of  a  bush  thereby : 
"  Light  down,  light  down  now,  Lily  Flower, 
For  it 's  here  that  ye  maun  lye. 

10  "  Light  down,  light  down  now,  Lily  Flower, 

For  by  my  hand  ye'se  dee ; 
Ye  married  my  brother,  Brown  Robin, 
When  ye  shou'd  ha'e  married  me." 

11  She  lighted  aff  her  milk-white  steed^ 

And  kneel'd  upon  her  knee : 
"  Oh,  mercy,  mercy,  Jellon  Grame, 
For  I'm  no  prepared  to  dee ! 

12  "  The  bairn  that  stirs  between  my  sides 

Maun  shortly  see  the  light ; 
But  to  see  it  weltering  in  my  blood, 
Would  be  a  piteous  sight. 

13  "  Oh,  mercy,  mercy,  Jellon  Grame ! 

Until  I  lighter  be, 
Ha'e  mercy  on  your  brother's  bairn, 
Tho'  ye  ha'e  nane  for  me." 

14  "  Nae  mercy  is  for  thee,  ladye, 

Nae  mercy  is  for  thee ; 
Such  mercy  unto  you  I'll  gi'e 
As  what  ve  sra'e  to  me." 


icn  mercy  unto  yuu  x  u 
As  what  ye  ga'e  to  me. 


15  Then  he 's  ta'en  out  a  trusty  brand, 

And  strok'd  it  o'er  the  strae ; 
And  thro'  and  thro'  her  fair  body 
He  's  gar'd  cauld  iron  gae. 

16  He  felt  nae  pity  for  Lily  Flower, 

Where  she  was  lying  dead ; 
But  he  felt  some  for  the  bonnie  bairn 
Lay  weltering  in  her  bluid. 
z 


338  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


17  Then  he 's  ta'en  up  the  bonnie  bairn, 

Handled  him  tenderly; 
And  said — "  Ye  are  of  my  ain  kin, 
The'  your  mother  ill-used  me." 

18  He 's  washen  him  at  the  crystal  stream, 

And  row'd  him  in  a  weed ; 
And  named  him  after  a  bold  robber, 
Who  was  call'd  Robin  Hood. 

19  Up  has  he  ta'en  that  bonnie  boy, 

Given  him  to  nurses  nine : 
Three  to  sleep,  and  three  to  wake. 
And  three  to  go  between. 

20  And  he  bred  up  that  bonnie  boy, 

Call'd  him  his  sister's  son ; 
And  he  thought  no  eye  cou'd  ever  see 
The  deed  that  he'had  done. 

21  But  so  it  fell  upon  a  day, 

They  ranged  the  greenwood  free, 
And  rested  them  at  Silverwood, 
Beneath  that  green  aik  tree. 

22  And  many  were  the  greenwood  flowers 

Upon  that  grave  that  grew ; 
And  marvell'd  much  that  bonnie  boy 
To  see  their  lovely  hue. 

23  "  What 's  paler  than  the  primrose  wan? 

What 's  redder  than  the  rose  ? 
What 's  fairer  than  the  lily  flower 
On  this  wee  knowe*  that  grows?" 

24  Oh,  out  and  answer'd  Jellon  Grame, 

And  he  spake  hastily  : 
"  Your  mother  was  a  fairer  flower. 
And  lies  beneath  this  tree. 

25  *'  More  pale  was  she,  when  she  sought  my  grace, 

Than  primrose  pale  and  wan ; 
And  redder  than  rose  her  ruddy  heart's  blood, 
That  down  my  broadsword  ran." 

26  With  that  the  boy  has  bent  his  bow, 

It  was  baith  stout  and  lang ; 
And  thro'  and  thro'  him,  Jellon  Grame, 
He  gar'd  an  arrow  gang. 

•  "  Wee  knowe : "  little  hillock. 


BEOWN  ADAM.  339 


27  Says — "  Lye  ye  there,  now,  Jellon  Grame ! 

My  malison  gang  you  wiM 
The  place  that  my  mother  lyes  buried  in 
Is  far  too  good  for  thee," 

28  These  news  ha'e  gaen  thro'  Stirling  town, 

Likewise  thro'  Huntin-hall ; 
At  last  it  reached  the  king's  own  court, 
Amang  his  nobles  all. 

29  And  when  the  king  got  word  of  it, 

A  light  laugh  then  ga'e  he ; 
And  he  has  sent  for  little  Kobin 
To  come  right  speedilie. 

30  He 's  put  on  little  Robin's  head 

A  ribbon  and  gowden  crown, 
And  made  him  one  of  his  foremost  knights, 
For  the  valoar  he  had  done. 


BROWN  ADAM. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  159. 

"  There  is,"  says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  a  copy  of  this  ballad  in  Mrs. 
Brown's  collection.  The  editor  has  seen  one,  printed  on  a  single 
sheet.  The  epithet '  Smith '  implies,  probably,  the  surname,  not  the 
profession,  of  the  hero,  who  seems  to  have  been  an  outlaw.  There 
is,  however,  in  Mrs.  Brown's  copy,  a  verse  of  Uttle  merit,  here 
omitted,  alluding  to  the  implements  of  that  occupation." 

1  Oh,  wha  wou'd  wish  the  wind  to  blaw, 

Or  the  green  leaves  fall  therewith? 
Or  wha  wou'd  wish  a  lealer  love 
Than  Brown  Adam  the  Smith? 

2  But  they  ha'e  banish'd  him.  Brown  Adam, 

Frae  father  and  frae  mother; 
And  they  ha'e  banish'd  him,  Brown  Adam,  ,  ^ 
Frae  sister  and  frae  brother.  *'  * 

3  And  they  ha'e  banish'd  him,  Brown  Adam, 

The  flow'r  of  all  his  kin ; 
And  he 's  bigged  a  bow'r  in  gude  greenwood 
Atween  his  ladye  and  him. 


340  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


4  It  fell  upon  a  summer's  day, 

Brown  Adam  he  thought  lang; 
And,  for  to  hunt  some  venison, 
To  greenwood  he  wou'd  gang. 

5  He  has  ta'en  his  bow  his  arm  o'er, 

His  bolts  and  arrows  lang; 
And  he  is  to  the  gude  greenwood 
As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang. 

G     Oh,  he 's  shot  up,  and  he 's  shot  down, 
The  bird  upon  the  brier. 
And  he  sent  it  hame  to  his  ladye, 
Bade  her  be  of  good  cheer. 

7  Oh,  he  's  shot  up,  and  he 's  shot  down, 

The  bird  upon  the  thorn. 
And  sent  it  hame  to  his  ladye, 
Said  he'd  be  hame  the  morn. 

8  When  he  came  to  his  ladye's  bow'r-door, 

He  stood  a  little  forbye. 
And  there  he  heard  a  fou'  fause  knight 
Tempting  his  gay  ladye. 

9  For  he 's  ta'en  out  a  gay  gowd  ring. 

Had  cost  him  many  a  poun' : 
"  Oh,  grant  me  love  for  love,  ladye, 
And  this  shall  be  thy  own." 

10  ".I  lo'e  Brown  Adam  weel,"  she  said ; 

"  I  trow  sae  does  he  me; 
I  wou'dna  gi'e  Brown  Adam's  love 
For  nae  fause  knight  I  see." 

11  Out  has  he  ta'en  a  purse  of  gowd. 

Was  all  fu'  to  the  string : 
"  Oh,  grant  me  love  for  love,  ladye, 
And  all  this  shall  be  thine." 

12  "  I  lo'e  Brown  Adam  weel,"  she  says ; 

"  I  wot  sae  does  he  me ; 
I  wou'dna  be  your  light  leman. 
For  mair  than  ye  cou'd  gi'e." 

13  Then  out  he  drew  his  lang,  bright  brand. 

And  flash'd  it  in  her  e'en: 
"  Now,  grant  me  love  for  love,  ladye, 

Or  through  ye  this  shall  gang-! " 
Then,  sighing,  says  that  ladye  fair, 

"  Brown  Adam  tarries  lang!" 


BBOWN  BOBTN'S  CONFESSION.  341 


14     Then  in  and  starts  him,  Brown  Adam ; 
Says — "  I  am  just  at  hand," 
He 's  gar'd  him  leave  his  bonnie  bow, 

He 's  gar'd  him  leave  his  brand, 
He 's  gar'd  him  leave  a  dearer  pledge- 
Four  fingers  of  his  right  hand. 


BROWN  EOBYN'S  CONFESSION. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  110.  Slightly  emendated, 
and  three  lines  within  brackets  substituted  in  place  of  others. 

This  ballad  is  clearly  mediasval.  This  Scotish  Jonah  was  no  way 
connected  with,  although  bearing  the  same  appellation  as  that  of  the 
hero  of  another  ballad,  entitled' "  Brown  Eobyn  and  Mally,"  which 
appears  in  the  same  collection,  vol.  ii. ,  p.  299. 

The  latter  was  not  such  a  monster  of  iniquity,  but  is  only  accused  of 
the  venial  sin  of  eloping  with  his  master's  daughter,  while  the  ballad 
ends  happily,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  parties. 

1  It  fell  upon  a  Wodensday, 

Brown  Robyn's  men  went  to  sea; 
But  they  saw  neither  moon  nor  sun, 
Nor  star-light  blink  on  hie. 

2  "  We'll  cast  kevils  us  amang, 

See  wha  the  unhappy  man  may  be;" 
The  kevil  fell  on  Brown  Robyn, 
The  master  man  was  he. 

3  "  It  is  nae  wonder,"  said  Brown  Robyn, 

"  Altho'  I  dinna  thrive; 
[For  a  greater  sinner  than  I  ha'e  been, 
There  is  not  man  alive.] 

4  "  But  tie  me  to  a  plank  of  wood. 

And  throw  me  in  the  sea; 
And  if  I  sink,  ye  may  bid  me  sink, 
And  e'en  just  let  me  be." 

5  They've  tied  him  to  a  plank  of  wood, 

And  thrown  him  in  the  sea; 
He  did  not  sink,  tho'  they  bade  him  sink; 
He  swam,  and  they  let  him  be. 

6  He  hadna  been  into  the  sea, 

An  hour  but  barely  three. 
Till  by  it  came  our  bless'd  Ladye, 
Her  dear  young  Son  her  wi'. 


342  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"  Will  ye  gang  to  your  men  again? 

Or  will  ye  gang  with  me? 
Will  ye  gang  to  the  heavens  high, 

With  my  dear  Son  and  me?" 

"  I  winna  gang  to  my  men  again, 

For  they  wou'd  be  fear'd  at  me; 
But  I  wou'd  gang  to  the  high  heav'ns, 

With  thy  dear  Son  and  thee." 

["  Your  prayer  shall  granted  be,  Brown  Kobyn,] 

For  nae  honour  ye  did  me ; 
But  it  is  all  for  the  fair  confession 

You  made  upon  the  sea." 


BONNIE   ANNIE. 
From  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  123. 

Mr.  Motherwell  is  "inclined  to  think  this  is  an  Irish  ballad, 
though  popular  in  Scotland."  "A  copy  of  the  ballad  in"  his  "hands 
corrects"  an  "error  in  Mr.  Kinloch's  version,"  which  correction  is 
adopted  in  the  text — Mr.  Kinloch's  couplet  being  retained  as  a 
footnote. 

The  following  explanatory  notice,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Kinloch,  is  as 
appUcable  to  the  ballad  which  precedes  as  to  the  one  which  follows : — 

"There  is,"  says  he,  "a  prevalent  belief  among  seafaring  people, 
that  if  a  person  who  has  committed  any  heinous  crime  be  on  ship- 
board, the  vessel,  as  if  conscious  of  its  guilty  burden,  becomes  un- 
manageable, and  will  not  sail  till  the  offender  be  removed :  to  discover 
whom,  they  usually  resort  to  the  trial  of  those  on  board  by  casting 
lots;  and  the  individual  upon  whom  the  lot  falls  is  declared  the 
criminal,  it  being  believed  that  divine  Providence  interposes  in  this 
manner  to  point  out  the  guilty  person."  For  a  scriptural  illustra- 
tion of  this  prevalent  superstition,  see  the  book  of  the  prophet 
Jonah,  ch.  i. 

1  There  was  a  rich  lord,  and  he  lived  in  Forfar; 
He  had  a  fair  ladye  and  one  only  dochter. 
Oh,  she  was  fair,  oh  dear!  she  was  bonnie; 

A  ship's  captain  courted  her  to  be  his  honey. 

2  There  came  a  ship's  captain  out  o'er  the  sea  sailing, 

He  courted  this  young  thing  with  words  too  prevailing:  * 
"  Ye'll  steal  your  father's  gowd  and  your  mother's  money, 
And  I'll  make  ye  a  ladye  in  Ireland  bonnie." 

*  The  last  four  words  of  this  line  axe  substituted  in  place  of  a  different  reading  in 
Kinloch's  original. 


THE  TWA  CORBIES.  343 


3    She 's  stown  her  father's  gowd  and  her  mother's  money, 
But  she  ne'er  was  a  ladye  in  Ireland  bonnie. 


"  There 's  fey  folk  *  in  our  ship,  she  winna  sail  for  me ; 
There  's  fey  folk  in  our  ship,  she  winna  sail  for  me." 
They've  casten- black  bullets  twice  six  and  forty, 
And  aye  the  black  bullet  fell  on  bonnie  Annie. 

"  Ye'll  take  me  in  your  arms  twa,  lo,  lift  me  cannie, 
And  throw  me  o'erboard,  your  ain  dear  Annie." 
He  has  ta'en  her  in  his  arms  twa,  lo,  lifted  her  cannie, 
He  has  laid  her  on  a  bed  of  down,  his  ain  dear  Annie. 

"  What  can  a  woman  do,  love,  I'll  do  for  ye." 
"  Meikle  can  a  woman  do,  ye  canna  do  for  me." 
"  Lay  about,  steer  about,  lay  our  ship  cannie. 
Do  sdl  ye  can  to  save  my  dear  Annie." 

"I've  laid  about,  steer'd  about,  laid  about  cannie; 
But  all  I  can  do,  she  winna  sail  for  me. 
Ye'll  take  her  in  your  arms  twa,  lo,  lift  her  cannie. 
And  throw  her  out  o'erboard,  your  ain  dear  Annie." 

He  has  ta'en  her  in  his  arms  twa,  lo,  lifted  her  cannie, 
He  has  thrown  her  out  o'erboard,  his  ain  dear  Annie; 
As  the  ship  sail'd,  bonnie  Annie  she  swam. 
And  she  was  at  Ireland  as  soon  as  them. 

"  Make  my  love  a  cofl&n  of  the  gowd  sae  yellow, 
Where  the  wood  it  is  dear  and  the  planks  they  are  narrow." 
They  made  his  love  a  coffin  of  the  gowd  sae  yellow. 
And  they  buried  her  deep  on  the  high  banks  of  Yarrow.f 


THE  TWA  CORBIES. 

At  least  three  versions  of  this  weird  piece  have  appeared,  one 
English  and  two  Scotish.     They  are — 

I.  "The  Three  Ravens,"  in  " Eavenscroft's  Melismata;  Musical 
Pliarmes,  fitting  tlie  Cittie  and  Coujitrie  Humours,  to  3,  4, 
and  5  Voyces,  London,  1611,  4to,"  and  reprinted  by  Mr. 
Ritson  in  his  Ancient  Songs. 

*  "Fey  folk:"  "people  on  the  verge  of  death." — Kinloch. 

t  Stanza  9  is  taken  from  Mr.  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  xcix.,  nota 
146.    The  couplet  it  displaces  reads — 

"He  made  his  love  a  coffin  off  the  goats  of  Terrow, 

And  buried  his  bonnie  love  down  in  a  sea  valley.' 

On  which  Mr.  Kinloch  remarks:— "It  would  be  difficult  to  ascertain  where  Terrow  is 

situated.    It  would  seem,  however,  to  be  on  the  sea  coast,  as  'goats '  signifies  inlets 

where  the  sea  enters! " 


844  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


II.  "The  Twa  Corbies,"  " conununicated  to"  Scott,  Minstrelsy, 
vol.  ii. ,  p.  357,  ' '  by  Charles  Kirkpatrick  Sharpe,  Esq. ,  Jiin, , 
of  Hoddam,  as  written  down  from  tradition  by  a  lady.  It  is 
a  singular  circumstance,"  says  Sir  Walter,  "that  it  should 
coincide  so  very  nearly  with  the  ancient  dirge  called  '  The 
Three  Eavens,'  published  by  Mr.  Eitson  in  his  Ancient 
Songs;  and  that,  at  the  same  time,  there  should  exist 
such  a  difference  as  to  make  the  one  appear  rather  a 
counterpart  than  copy  of  the  other." 

IIL  "The  Twa  Corbies,"  a  different  version,  which  appears  in 
Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  7,  without  note  or  comment. 
It  is  the  one  here  printed,  and  is  certainly  the  best  version 
of  the  three,  but  is  supposed  to  have  been  modernized. 

Variations  from  Scott's  version  are  noted  under  the  text.     "  The 
Three  Ravens  "  concludes  thus : — 

"Down  there  comes  a  fallow  doe. 
As  great  with  young  as  she  might  goe. 

\ 

"  She  lift  up  his  bloudy  hed, 
And  kist  liis  wounds  that  were  so  red. 

"She  got  him  up  upon  her  backe, 
And  carried  him  to  earthen  lake. 

"She  buried  him  before  the  prime, 
She  was  dead  her  selfe  ere  euen-song  time. 

"God  send  euery  gentleman 
Such  haukes,  such  houndes,  and  such  a  leman." 

1  There  were  twa  corbies  sat  on  a  tree, 
Large  and  black  as  black  might  be  ; 
And  one  until  the  other  'gan  say — 

"  Where  shall  we  go  and  dine  to-day  ? 

Shall  we  dine  by  the  wild  salt  sea  ? 

Shall  we  dine  'neatli  the  greenwood  tree?" 

2  "  As  I  sat  on  the  deep  sea  sand, 
I  saw  a  fair  ship  nigh  at  land ; 

I  waved  my  wings,  I  bent  my  beak, 
The  ship  sunk,  and  I  heard  a  shriek : 
There  they  lie,  one,  two,  and  three — 
I  shall  dine  by  the  wild  salt  sea." 

8     "  Come,  I  will  show  ye  a  sweeter  sight, 
A  lonesome  glen,  and  a  new-slain  knight; 
His  blood  yet  on  the  grass  is  hot, 
His  sword  half-drawn,  his  shafts  unshot, — 
And  no  one  knows  that  he  lies  there, 
But  his  hawk,  his  hound,  and  his  ladye  fair. 


THE  NEW-SLAIN  KNIGHT.  345 

"  His  hound  is  to  the  hunting  gane, 
His  hawk  to  fetch  the  wild-fowl  hame, 
His  ladye  's  away  with  another  mate, 
So  we  shall  make  our  dinner  sweet; 
Our  dinner 's  sure,  our  feasting  free : 
Come,  and  dine  by  the  greenwood  tree. 

"  Ye  shall  sit  on  his  white  hause-bane, 
I  will  pick  out  his  bonnie  blue  een ; 
Ye'll  take  a  tress  of  his  yellow  hah-, 
To  theek*  your  nest  when  it  grows  bare;*}" 
The  gowden  down  on  his  young  chin 
Will  do  to  rowe  my  young  ones  in. 

"  Oh,  cauld  and  bare  his  bed  will  be, 
When  winter  storms  sing  in  the  tree ; 
At  his  head  a  turf,  at  his  feet  a  stone. 
He  will  sleep,  nor  hear  the  maiden's  moan. 
O'er  his  white  bones  the  birds  shall  fly, 
The  wild  deer  bound,  and  foxes  cry."  J 


THE  NEW-SLAIN  KNIGHT.  § 

Prom  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  197. 

There  are  other  two  ballads  of  a  similar  description  in  the  same 
collection — namely,  "Blue  Flowers  and  Yellow,"  voL  i.,  p.  185,  and 
"  Willie's  Lyke  Wake,"  voL  ii.,  p.  51.  In  the  two  last-named  the 
lovers  feign  death,  in  order  to  induce  their  respective  lady-loves  to 
attend  and  gaze  upon  their  supposed  remains.  In  both  cases  they  prove 
successful  in  compassing  their  object.  All  three  ballads  contain  stanzas 
which  are  either  repetitions  or  mere  echoes  of  stanzas  in  other  ballads. 
In  the  following  ballad,  for  example,  stanzas  5  to  8,  inclusive,  repeat 
or  echo  a  portion  of  "Young  Johnstone,"  ante,  p.  277;  while  stanzas 
10  and  11  are  similar  to  stanzas  in  "Fair  Annie  of  Lochryan,"  ante, 
p.  1;  stanza  12  is  similar  to  one  in  "Lord  Ingram  and  Child  Vyet," 
ante,  p.  80;  while  stanzas  13  and  14  will  recall  to  mind  the  denoue- 
ment of  Hector  MacneiU's  popular  song,  "  Mary  of  Castlecary." 

*  "Theek:"  thatch. 

t  "  With  ae  lock  of  his  gowden  hair 

We'll  theek  our  nest  when  it  grows  bare." — Scott's  version. 

t  "  Mony  a  ane  for  him  makes  mane, 
Bat  nane  shall  ken  where  he  is  gane ; 
O'er  his  white  banes,  when  they  are  bare, 
The  wind  shall  blaw  for  evermair." — Scott's  version. 

5  The  title  is  rather  Hibernian,  as  the  "knight"  was  not  "slain." 


346  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


The  two  ballads  above  referred  to  begin  respectively  as  under : — 

"  '  O  Willie,  my  son,  what  makes  you  so  sad, 
As  the  sun  shines  over  the  valley?' 
'  I  lye  sairly  sick  for  the  love  of  a  maid, 
Aiuang  the  blue  flowers  and  yellow.' " 

— "Blue  Flowers  and  Yellow.' 

"  If  my  love  loves  me,  she  lets  me  not  know, 
That  is  a  dowie  chance; 
I  wish  that  I  the  same  cou'd  do, 
Tho'  my  love  were  in  France,  France, 
Tho'  my  love  were  in  France." — "  Willie's  Lyke  Wake." 

1  "  My  heart  is  lighter  than  the  poll, 

My  folly  made  me  glad, 
As  on  my  rambles  I  went  out, 
Near  by  a  garden  side. 

2  "I  walk'd  on,  and  farther  on, 

Love  did  my  heart  engage ; 

For  there  I  spied  a  ladye  fair. 

Lay  sleeping  near  a  hedge. 

3  "  Then  I  kiss'd  her  with  my  lips, 

And  stroked  her  with  my  hand : 
'  Win  up,  win  up,  ye  ladje  gay, 
This  day  ye  sleep  ower  lang. 

4  '"  This  dreary  sight  that  I  ha'e  seen, 

Unto  my  heart  gives  pain; 
For  by  the  side  of  yonder  green, 
I  see  a  knight  lyes  slain.' 

5  "  '  Oh,  what  like  was  his  hawk,  his  hawk  ? 

Or  what  like  was  his  hound  ? 
And  what  like  was  the  trusty  brand, 
This  new-slain  knight  had  on  ?  ' 

6  " '  His  hawk  and  hound  were  from  him  gone, 

His  steed  tied  to  a  tree ; 
A  bloody  brand  beneath  his  head, 
And  on  the  ground  lyes  he.' 

7  "  '  Oh,  what  like  was  his  hose,  his  hose  ? 

And  what  like  were  his  shoon? 

And  what  like  was  the  gay  clothing 

This  new-slain  knight  had  on?  ' 

8  "  '  His  coat  was  of  the  red  scarlet. 

His  waistcoat  of  the  same ; 
His  hose  were  of  the  bonnie  black. 
And  shoon  laced  with  cordin'. 


SIR  HUGH  LE  BLOND.  347 


9     "  '  Bonnie  was  his  yellow  hair, 

For  it  was  new-comb'd  down ; ' 
Then,  sighing  sair,  said  the  ladye  fair, 
'  I  comb'd  it  late  yestreen. 

10  "  '  Oh,  wha  will  shoe  my  bonnie  foot  ? 

Or  wha  will  glove  my  hand  ? 
Or  wha  will  father  my  dear  bairn, 
Since  my  love  's  dead  and  gane  ? ' 

11  "  '  Oh,  I  will  shoe  your  bonnie  foot, 

And  I  will  glove  your  hand ; 
And  I'll  be  father  to  your  bairn, 
Since  your  love 's  dead  and  gane.' 

12  "  '  I  winna  father  my  bairn,'  she  said, 

*  Upon  an  unkenn'd  man ; 
I'll  father  it  on  the  King  of  Heaven, 
Since  my  love 's  dead  and  gane.'  " 

13  The  knight  he  knack'd  his  white  fingers, 

The  ladye  tore  her  hair ; 
He  's  drawn  the  mask  from  off  his  face, 
Says — "  Ladye,  mourn  nae  mair ! 

14  "  For  ye  are  mine,  and  I  am  thine, 

I  see  your  love  is  true ; 
And  if  I  love  and  brook  my  life, 
Ye'se  ne'er  ha'e  cause  to  rue." 


SIB  HUGH  LE  BLOND. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii,  p.  51. 

"  This  ballad,"  says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "  is  a  northern  composition, 
and  seems  to  have  been  the  original  of  the  legend  called  '  Sir 
Aldingar,'  which  is  printed  in  the  Reliques  of  Ancient  Poetry.  The 
incidents  are  nearly  the  same  in  both  ballads,  excepting  that  in 
'Aldingar'  an  angel  combats  for  the  Queen,  instead  of  a  mortal 
champion.  The  names  of '  Aldingar '  and  '  Rodingham '  approach  near 
to  each  other  in  sound,  though  not  in  orthography,  and  the  one 
might,  by  reciters,  be  easily  substituted  for  the  other.  I  think  I 
have  seen  both  the  name  and  the  story  in  an  ancient  prose  chronicle, 
but  am  unable  to  make  any  reference  in  support  of  my  behef. 

"The  tradition  upon  which  the  ballad  is  founded  is  universally 
current  in  the  Mearns;  and  the  editor  is  informed  that,  till  very 
lately,  the  sword  with  which  Sir  Hugh  le  Blond  was  believed  to  have 


348  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


defended  the  life  and  honour  of  the  Queen  was  carefully  preserved 
by  his  descendants,  the  Viscounts  of  Arbuthnot.  That  Sir  Hugh  of 
Arbuthnot  lived  in  the  thirteenth  century,  is  proved  by  his  having 
(1282)  bestowed  the  patronage  of  the  church  of  Garvoch  upon  the 
monks  of  Aberbrothwick,  for  the  safety  of  his  soul. — Repister  of 
Aberbrothwick,  quoted  by  Crawford  in  Peerage.  But  I  find  no  instance 
in  history  in  which  the  honour  of  a  Queen  of  Scotland  was  committed 
to  the  chance  of  a  duel. 

"But,  true  or  false,  the  incident  narrated  in  the  ballad  is  in  the 
genuine  style  of  chivalry.  Komances  abound  with  similar  instances, 
nor  are  they  wanting  in  real  history.  The  most  solemn  part  of  a 
knight's  oath  was  to  defend  '  all  widows,  orpheliues,  and  maidens  of 
gude  fame.' — Lindsay's  Heraldry  MS.  The  love  of  arms  was  a  real 
passion  of  itself,  which  blazed  yet  more  fiercely  when  united  with 
the  enthusiastic  admiration  of  the  fair  sex.  The  knight  of  Chaucer 
exclaims,  Avith  chivalrous  energy — 

'  To  fight  for  a  lady !  a  benedicitel 
It  were  a  lusty  sight  for  to  see.' 

It  was  an  argument,  seriously  urged  by  Sir  John  of  Heinault,  for 
making  war  upon  Edward  II.  in  behalf  of  his  banished  wife,  Isabella, 
that  knights  were  bound  to  aid,  to  their  uttermost  power,  all  dis- 
tressed damsels  living  without  counsel  or  comfort. 

"  Such  was  the  readiness  with  which,  in  those  times,  heroes  put 
their  lives  in  jeopardy  for  honour  and  lady's  sake.  But,  I  doubt 
whether  the  fair  dames  of  the  present  day  will  think  that  the  risk 
of  being  burnt,  upon  every  suspicion  of  frailty,  would  be  altogether 
compensated  by  the  probability  that  a  disinterested  champion,  like 
Hugh  le  Blond,  would  take  up  the  gauntlet  in  their  behalf.  I  fear 
they  will  rather  accord  to  the  sentiment  of  the  hero  of  an  old  romance, 
who  expostulates  thus  with  a  certain  duke : — 

'  Oertes,  Sir  Duke,  thou  doest  unright. 
To  make  a  roast  of  your  daughter  bright, 
I  wot  you  ben  unkind.' — A?iiis  and  Amelion. 

"  I  was  favoured  with  the  following  copy  of  Sir  Hugh  le  Blond,  by 
K.  Williamson  Burnet,  Esq.  of  Monboddo,  who  wrote  it  down  from 
the  recitation  of  an  old  woman,  long  in  the  service  of  the  Arbuthnot 
family.  Of  course,  the  diction  is  very  much  humbled,  and  it  has,  in 
all  probability,  undergone  many  corruptions ;  but  its  antiquity  is 
indubitable,  and  the  story,  though  indifierently  told,  is  in  itself 
interesting.     It  is  believed  that  there  have  been  many  more  verses." 

1  The  birds  sang  sweet  as  ony  bell, 

The  world  had  not  their  maik ; 
The  Queen  she 's  gone  to  her  chamber, 
With  Kodingham  to  talk. 

2  ''I  love  you  well,  my  Queen,  my  dame^ 

'Bove  land  and  rents  so  clear; 
And  for  the  love  of  you,  my  Queen, 
Would  thole*  pain  most  severe." 

*  "  Thole : "  bear. 


SIR  HUGH  LE  BLOND.  349 


3  "  If  well  you  love  me,  Rodingham, 

I'm  sure  so  do  I  thee  ; 
I  love  you  well  as  any  man, 
Save  the  King's  fair  bodye." 

4  "I  love  you  well,  my  Queen,  my  dame, 

'Tis  truth  that  I  do  tell; 
Your  love  and  favour  for  to  win, 
The  salt  seas  I  wou'd  sail." 

5  "  Away,  away,  0  Rodingham ! 

Speak  not  such  words  to  me ; 
Nor  plot  such  wrong  against  the  King, 
Who  puts  such  trust  in  thee.* 

6  "  To-morrow  you'd  be  taken  sure, 

And  like  a  traitor  slain  ; 
And  I'd  be  burned  at  a  stake, 
Although  I  be  the  Queen." 

7  He  then  stepp'd  out  at  her  room  door, 

All  in  an  angry  mood ; 
Until  he  met  a  leper-man. 
Just  by  the  hard  wayside. 

8  He  intoxicate  the  leper-man, 

With  liquors  very  sweet. 
And  gave  him  more  and  more  to  drink, 
Until  he  fell  asleep. 

9  He  took  him  in  his  arms  twa, 

And  carried  him  along, 
Till  he  came  to  the  Queen's  own  bed, 
And  there  he  laid  him  down. 

10  He  then  stepp'd  out  of  the  Queen's  bow'r, 

As  swift  as  any  roe. 
Till  he  came  to  the  very  place 
Where  the  King  himself  did  go. 

11  The  King  said  unto  Rodingham — 

"  What  news  have  you  to  me  ?" 
He  said — "  Your  Queen  's  a  false  woman. 
As  I  did  plainly  see." 

12  He  hasten'd  to  the  Queen's  chamber, 

So  costly  and  so  fine. 
Until  he  came  to  the  Queen's  own  bed. 
That  the  leper-man  lay  in. 

*  The  third  line  of  stanza  4  and  the  three  last  of  stanza  5  are  suhstituted  for  others 
iess  delicate,  as  given  in  the  original. 

/ 


350  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


13  He  look'd  upon  the  leper-man, 

Who  lay  on  his  Queen's  bed; 
He  lifted  up  the  snaw-white  sheets, 
And  thus  he  to  him  said: 

14  "  Plooky,*  plooky  are  your  cheeks, 

And  plooky  is  your  chin; 
And  plooky  are  your  arms  twa, 
My  bonnie  Queen 's  lain  in. 

15  "  Since  she  has  lain  into  your  arms, 

She  shall  not  lye  in  mine ; 
Since  she  has  kiss'd  your  ugsomef  mouth, 
She  ne'er  mair  shall  kiss  mine." 

16  In  anger  he  went  to  the  Queen, 

Who  fell  upon  her  knee; 
He  said — "You  false,  unchaste  woman. 
What 's  this  you've  done  to  me  ?  " 

17  The  Queen  then  tum'd  herself  about, 

The  tear  blinded  her  e'e : 
"  There 's  not  a  knight  in  all  your  court 
Dare  give  that  name  to  me." 

18  He  said — "  'Tis  true  that  I  do  say, 

For  I  a  proof  did  make: 
You  shall  be  taken  from  my  bow'r, 
And  burned  at  a  stake. 

19  "  Perhaps  I'll  take  my  word  again, 

And  may  repent  the  same, 
If  that  you'll  get  a  Christian  man 
To  fight  that  Kodingham." 

20  "  Alas !  alas ! "  then  cried  our  Queen, 

"Alas!  and  woe  to  me! 
There 's  not  a  man  in  all  Scotland 
Will  fight  with  him  for  me." 

21  She  breath'd  unto  her  messengers, 

Sent  them  south,  east,  and  west; 
They  cou'd  find  none  to  fight  with  him, 
Nor  enter  the  contest. 

22  She  breath'd  unto  her  messengers, 

Sent  them  unto  the  north; 
And  there  they  found  Sir  Hugh  le  Blond, 
To  fight  him  he  came  forth. 

•  "Plooky:"  pimply.  f  "Ugsome;"  loathsoma 


SIR  HUGH  LE  BLOND.  351 


23  When  unto  him  they  did  unfold 

The  circumstance  all  right, 
He  bade  them  go  and  tell  the  Queen 
That  for  her  he  wou'd  fight. 

24  The  day  came  on  that  was  to  do 

That  dreadful  tragedy ; 
Sir  Hugh  le  Blond  was  not  come  up 
To  fight  for  our  ladye. 

25  "Put  on  the  fire,"  the  monster  said: 

"It  is  twelve  on  the  bell." 
"'Tis  scarcely  ten,  now,"  said  the  King; 
"  I  heard  the  clock  mysel'." 

26  Before  the  hour  the  Queen  is  brought, 

The  burning  to  proceed; 
In  a  black  velvet  chair  she 's  set, 
A  token  for  the  dead. 

27  She  saw  the  flames  ascending  high. 

The  tears  blinded  her  e'e : 
"  Where  is  the  worthy  knight,"  she  said, 
"  Who  is  to  fight  for  me?  " 

28  Then  up  and  spake  the  King  himsel' — 

"  My  dearest,  have  no  doubt, 
For  yonder  comes  the  man  himsel', 
As  bold  as  e'er  set  out." 

29  They  then  advanced  to  fight  the  duel 

With  swords  of  temper'd  steel, 
Till  down  the  blood  of  Rodingham 
Went  running  to  his  heel. 

30  Sir  Hugh  took  out  a  trusty  sword, 

'Twas  of  the  metal  clear. 
And  he  has  pierced  Rodingham 
Till 's  heart-blood  did  appear. 

31  "Confess  your  treachery  now,"  he  said, 

"  This  day  before  you  die ! " 
"I  do  confess  my  treachery, 
I  shall  no  longer  lie : 

32  "  I  like  to  wicked  Haman  am, 

This  day  I  shall  be  slain." 
The  Queen  was  brought  to  her  chamber, 
A  good  woman  again. 


352  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


33     The  Queen  then  said  unto  the  King — 
"  Arbattle  's  near  the  sea; 
Give  it  unto  the  northern  knight 
That  this  day  fought  for  me." 

84    Then  said  the  King — "  Come  here,  Sir  Knight, 
And  drink  a  glass  of  wine; 
And,  if  Arbattle 's  not  enough, 
To  it  we'll  Fordoun  join." 


SIR  HUGH  AND  THE  JEW'S  DAUGHTER. 

"  The  following  ballad  bears  a  great  resemblance  to  the  'Prioresse's 
Tale '  in  Chaucer :  the  poet  seems  also  to  have  had  an  eye  to  the 
known  story  of  '  Hugh  of  Lincoln,'  a  child  said  to  have  been  murdered 
by  the  Jews  (a.d.  1255)  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III.,"  as  related  by 
Matthew  Paris.  One  Jew,  who  received  a  promise  of  impunity, 
confessed  to  the  crime ;  on  which,  in  spite  of  the  promise  made  to 
him,  he  was  tied  to  the  tail  of  a  horse  and  dragged  to  the  gallows ; 
eighteen  of  the  richest  Jews  in  Lincoln  being  also  hanged  as  partici- 
pants, while  many  more  were  imprisoned  in  the  Tower  of  London. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  body  of  the  child  was  buried  with  the  honours 
of  martyrdom  in  Lincoln  Cathedral ;  but  whether  the  Shrine  of  Saint 
Hugo  in  that  Cathedral  was  erected  for  the  bishop  of  that  name,  or 
for  the  reputed  martyr,  cannot  be  determined.  "  The  remains  of  a 
young  person  found  near  this  spot,  in  1791,  were  at  once  taken  for 
granted  to  be  those  of  the  sainted  infant ;  and  drawings  were  made 
of  the  relics,  which  may  be  seen  among  the  works  of  the  artist 
Grimm,  in  the  British  Museum." — Professor  Child's  English  and 
Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  iii,  p.  136. 

"Michel  has  published  an  Anglo-Norman  ballad  ('Hugo  de  Lin- 
colnia')  on  the  subject,  which  appears  to  be  almost  contemporary 
with  the  event  recorded  by  Matthew  Paris,  and  is  certainly  of  the 
times  of  Henry  III.  The  whole  subject  is  critically  examined  in  the 
Athenceum  for  December  15,  1849." — Ibid,  pp.  137  and  138. 

The  ballad  here  printed  has  been  somewhat  freely  rendered  from 
the  versions  which  have  appeared  as  under : — 

I.  "The  Jew's  Daughter,"  in  Percy's  Reliques,  vol.  i.,  where 
it  is  termed  "A  Scottish  Ballad,"  and  is  said  to  be 
"printed  from  a  MS.  copy  sent  from  Scotland."  It 
begins — 

"  The  rain  rins  donne  thro'  Mirry  land  tonne, 
Sae  dois  it  dovine  the  Pa: 
Sae  dois  the  lads  of  Mirry-land  toune, 
Quhan  they  play  at  the  ba." 

II.  "  Sir  Hugh,"  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  voL  i.,  p.  96. 


SIR  HUGH  AND  THE  JEW'S  DAUGHTER.  353 


m.  "  Hugh  of  Lincoln,"  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  i., 
p.  139,  where  it  is  given  verbatim  as  the  editor  took  it 
down  from  Mrs.  Brown's  recitation.  This  version  pre- 
serves the  tradition  that  the  "  child's  body"  was  thrown 
"  into  a  well  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary ;  and  tradition 
says  that  it  was  through  the  might  of  '  Our  Ladye '  that 
the  dead  body  was  permitted  to  speak  and  to  reveal  the 
horrid  story  to  the  disconsolate  mother."  "The  volun- 
tary ringing  of  the  bells,  &c.,  at  his  funeral,"  belong 
to  this  version,  connected  with  which  "Blind  Harry's 
account  of  the  death  of  Sir  William  Wallace"  is  referred 
to  by  the  editor. 

IV.  "  Sir  Hugh ;  or.  The  Jew's  Daughter,"  in  Motherwell's  Min- 

strelsy, p.  51,  where  it  is  "  given  as  taken  down  from 
the  recitation  of  a  lady;  and  contains  some  additional 
circumstances  not  to  be  found  in  any  of  the  [other] 
copies. " 

V.  "Sir  Hugh  of  Lincoln,  an  old  Scottish  baUad,"  in  Sten- 

house's  Notes  to  JohnsorCs  Miisical  Museum,  p.  500. 

VI.  "Sir  Hugh,"  in  Hume's  Sir  Hugh  of  Lincoln.     This  is  a 
version  obtained  from  recitation  in  Ireland. 

"Besides  these,"  says  Professor  Child,  "fragments  have  been  printed 
in  Sir  Egerton  Brydge's  Restituta,  I.,  381,  HalliweU's  Ballads  and 
Poems  respecting  Hugh  of  Lincoln  (1849),  and  ia  Notes  and  Queries, 
vol.  viii.,  p.  614;  ix.,  320;  xii,  496." — English  and  Scottish  Ballads, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  137. 

The  following,  which  went  the  round  of  the  newspapers  about  Easter 
of  the  present  year  (1870),  shows  the  firm  hold  which  such  superstitious 
prejudices  have  on  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  and  credulous  of  all 
nations  and  times  : — 

"The  Eeligion  of  Love. — The^  Cologne  Gazette  publishes  a  pastoral 
letter  by  the  Greek  Patriarch  at  Constantinople.  The  approach  of 
Easter  always  induces  the  Christian  population  to  persecute  and 
annoy  the  Jews,  on  which  subject  the  document  says : — '  Superstition 
is  a  detestable  thing.  Almost  all  the  Christian  nations  of  the  East 
have  taken  up  the  extravagant  idea  that  the  Israelites  eujoy  shedding 
Christian  blood,  either  to  obtain  thereby  a  blessing  from  Heaven,  or 
to  gratify  their  national  rancour  against  Christ.  Hence  conflicts  and 
disturbances  break  out,  by  which  the  social  harmony  between  the 
dwellers  in  the  same  land,  yea,  the  same  fatherland,  is  disturbed. 
Thus  a  report  was  lately  spread  of  the  abduction  of  little  Christian 
children  in  order  to  give  a  pretext  for  suspicion.  We,  on  our  side, 
abhor  such  lying  fancies;  we  regard  them  as  the  superstitions  of  men 
of  weak  faith  and  narrow  minds;  and  we  disavow  them  officially. 
We  think  that  every  pious  Christian  should  think  more  favourably  of 
his  Jewish  fellow-citizens.  Neither  the  Mosaic  law,  nor  the  present 
social  development  of  the  Jews,  nor  their  natural  gentleness,  warrant 
such  false  accusations.  Think  of  the  beaiity  and  sublime  greatness  of 
Christ's  gospel,  which  threatens  the  punishment  of  heU  for  evil 
speaking,  and  commands  love  and  humanity,  even  towards  enemies. 

2a 


354  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


The  gospel  also  commands  us  to  let  our  light  so  shine  before  men  that 
they  may  see  our  good  works,  and  glonfy  our  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.'" 

1  'TwAS  merry,  'twas  merry,  in  Lincoln  town. 

Upon  brave  Hallow-day; 
For  then  all  the  schoolboys  of  Lincoln  town 
Got  out  to  sport  and  play. 

2  There  four-and-twenty  bonnie  young  boys 

Were  playing  at  the  ball, 
With  sweet  Sir  Hugh  of  Lincoln  town, 
The  flower  amang  them  all. 

3  He  kick'd  the  ball  with  his  right  foot. 

And  stopp'd  it  with  his  knee, 
Till  thro'  and  thro'  the  Jew's  window 
He  made  the  ball  to  flee. 

4  Then  round  and  round  the  Jew's  dwelling 

Sir  Hugh  he  walk'd  about. 
Until  he  saw  the  Jew's  daughter 
At  a  window  looking  out. 

5  "  Throw  down  the  ball,  ye  Jew's  daughter, 

Throw  down  the  ball,"  said  he. 
"  No,  never  a  bit,"  said  the  Jew's  daughter, 
"  Come  up  and  get  it  frae  me." 

6  "I  cannot  go  up,  I  will  not  go  up, 

I  will  not  go  up  to  thee ; 
I  cannot  go  up,  I  will  not  go  up, 
Some  harm  you  wou'd  do  me."  * 

7  "  Come  in,  Sir  Hugh,  my  sweet  Sir  Hugh, 

Come  in  and  get  the  ball." 
"  I  cannot  go  in,  I  will  not  go  in, 
Without  my  play-feres  all." 

8  She  pull'd  an  apple  frae  the  tree, 

An  apple  red  and  green; 
And  with  the  apple  that  she  pull'd, 
She  wiled  the  young  thing  in. 

9  She  led  him  to  her  own  chamber, 

To  the  board  where  she  did  dine, 
Then  stuck  a  penknife  in  his  heart. 
And  dress'd  him  like  a  swine."}" 

*  "  For  as  ye  did  to  my  auld  father, 

The  same  ye'U  do  to  me." — Jamieson's  version. 

t  "  'She  dressed  him  like  a  swan,'  was  the  reading  we  got,"  says  Mr,  Motherwell. 


SIR  HUGH  AND  THE  JEW'S  DAUGHTER.  355 


10  And  first  came  out  the  thick,  thick  blood, 

And  syne  came  out  the  thin: 
It  came  frae  the  heart  of  sweet  Sir  Hugh, 
And  left  no  life  within. 

11  She  roU'd  him  in  a  cake  of  lead, 

Bade  him  lie  still  and  sleep ; 
Then  threw  him  in  Our  Ladye's  well, 
Was  fifty  fathom  deep. 

12  When  bells  were  rung,  and  mass  was  sung, 

And  all  the  boys  went  home; 
Then  every  ladye  got  her  son. 
But  Sir  Hugh's  mother  alone. 

13  She  wrapp'd  her  mantle  her  about, 

And  hied  her  up  and  down ; 
And  till  the  dead  hour  of  the  night, 
She  search'd  through  Lincoln  town. 

14  Then  out  she  cried — "  My  sweet  Sir  Hugh, 

Oh,  where,  where  can  you  be? 
If  you  speak  to  any  one  on  earth, 
I  pray  thee  speak  to  me. 

15  "  My  bonnie  Sir  Hugh,  my  sweet  Sir  Hugh, 

I  pray  thee  to  me  speak." 
"  Oh,  deep  down  in  Our  Ladye's  well 
Your  young  son  you  must  seek." 

16  Then  she  ran  to  Our  Ladye's  well, 

And  knelt  upon  her  knee : 
"  My  bonnie  Sir  Hugh,  my  sweet  Sir  Hugh, 
I  pray  thee  speak  to  me." 

17  "  The  lead  is  wond'rous  heavy,  mother, 

The  well  is  wond'rous  deep ; 
A  keen  penknife  sticks  in  my  heart, 
But  here  I  cannot  sleep. 

18  "  Then  hie  you  home,  my  mother  dear. 

Prepare  my  winding  sheet; 
And  at  the  back  of  Lincoln  town. 
To-morrow  we  shall  meet." 

19  Ladye  Helen  quickly  hied  her  home, 

Made  him  a  winding  sheet; 
And  at  the  back  of  Lincoln  town. 
Next  day  the  corpse  did  meet. 


356  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

20  Then  she  had  him  laid  in  hallow'd  ground, 

And  the  death-mass  for  him  sung ; 
While  all  the  bells  of  Lincoln  town 
Without  men's  hands  were  rung. 

21  And  all  the  books  of  Lincoln  town 

Were  read  without  man's  tongue ; 
There  was  never  such  a  burial 

Of  old  nor  yet  of  young ; 
There  was  never  such  a  burial 

Since  Adam's  days  begun. 

22  Oh,  the  broom,  the  bonnie,  bonnie  broom. 

The  broom  that  makes  full  sore : 
A  woman's  mercy  is  very  little, 
But  a  man's  mercy  is  more. 


THE 

BALLAD    MINSTEELSY 

OP 

SCOTLA.ND, 

ROMANTIC    AND    HISTORICAL, 


PART  n.-mSTORICAI  AOT)  MISCELLANE0IJ3. 
From  the  Beign  of  Alexakdke  VLL 


HARDYKNUTE. 

A  FRAGMENT. 


EDINBURGH : 

Printed  hy  James  Watson,  Printer  to  the  King's  Moat  Excellent  Majesty. 

MDCCXIX. 


The  above  is  the  title  and  imprint  of  the  earliest  dated  edition  of 
"  the  celebrated  poem  or  ballad  of  '  Hardyknute,'  "  *  a  copy  of  which, 
consisting  of  "  12  pages  (folio),  very  neatly  printed,"  ia  preserved 
in  the  Advocates'  Library;  but  the  "original  edition"  is  now, 
"from  internal  evidence,"  supposed  to  be  "one  in  12mo  (pp.  8), 
without  date,  of  which  a  copy  is  in  [the]  possession  of  Mr.  David 
Laing,  and  seems  never  to  have  had  a  title.  The  poem  is  styled 
'  "  Hardiknute,"  a  fragment  of  an  old  heroick  baUad.'  Besides  an 
immense  variety  of  minute  differences,  and  some  important  and 
material  alterations,  the  folio  edition  has  three  stanzas  more  than 
the  one  in  12mo" — viz.,  those  here  numbered  27,  28,  and  40.  "  The 
folio  being  more  enlarged  and  polished,  it  is  a  fair  presumption  that 
the  less  ample  and  ruder  version  was  a  first  attempt."  t 

Allan  Eamsay's  Evergreen  (1724)  purported  to  be  "a  collection  of 
Scots  poems,  wrote  Ijy  the  ingenious  before  1600 ; "  and  it  contains, 
toward  the  end  of  the  second  volume,  "Hardyknute,"  with  the 
addition  of  the  stanzas  here  numbered  17,  18,  20,  21,  22,  23,  34,  35, 

*  Bitson's. 
t  Letters  from  Bishop  Percy,  &c^  to  George  Paton.    Note  to  Prefatory  Notice,  p.  4. 


358  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


36,  37, 41,  and  42.  "  Many  different  readings  are  given ;  and  Ramsay, 
to  confirm  the  authenticity  of  the  whole,  has  everywhere  changed  the 
initial  yioz"  and  rendered  the  general  orthography  uncouthly  antique. 

An  edition  "with  modernized  text,  general  remarks,  and  notes," 
from  the  editorial  pen  of  John  Moncrieff,  author  of  ^^'i'*^-'  **  Tragedy, 
was  published,  London,  1740. 

The  Evergreen  text  was  reprinted  by  Foulis  of  Glasgow,  1748.  It 
also  appears  "  in  a  collection  of  Scots  poems  on  several  occasions,  by 
the  late  Mr.  Alexander  Penicuick,  Gent.,  and  others ;  Edinburgh, 
printed  for  James  Keid,  bookseller  in  Leith,  1756." 

"Lord  President  Forbes  and  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot  of  Minto  (Lord 
Justice  Clerk  for  Scotland),  who  had  believed  it  ancient,  contributed 
to  the  expense  of  publishing  the  "  folio  edition  ;  and  it  appears  to 
have  "generally  passed  for  ancient,"  until  Sir  David  Dalrymple, 
Lord  Hailes,  transmitted  to  Bishop  Percy  "  the  following  particulars," 
as  contained  in  a  prefatory  note  to  "this  fine  morsel  of  heroic  poetry," 
in  the  second  edition  of  the  Reliques  of  Ancient  English  Poetry,  voL 
ii  (1767).  Those  "particulars,"  the  editor  states,  "maybe  depended 
on,"  and  are,  that  "one  Mrs.  (Lady)  Wardlaw,  whose  maiden  name 
was  [Elizabeth]  Halket"  (second  daughter  of  Sir  Charles  Halket  of 
Pitferran,  Fifeshire,  and  widow  of  Sir  Henry  Wardlaw,  Bart,  of 
Pitreavie  and  Babnule,  near  Dunfermline,  in  the  same  county), 
"pretended  she  had  found  this  poem,  written  on  shreds  of  paper, 
employed  for  what  is  called  the  bottoms  of  clues.  A  suspicion  arose 
that  it  was  her  own  composition;"  and  "the  lady  did  in  a  manner 
acknowledge  it  to  be  so.  Being  desired  to  show  an  additional 
stanza  as  a  proof  of  this,  she  produced  the  two  last  [41  and  42],  which 
were  not  in  the  copy  that  was  first  printed."*  Lord  Hailes  was, 
however,  "  of  opinion  that  part  of  the  ballad  may  be  ancient,  but 
retouched  and  much  enlarged  by  the  lady  above  mentioned.  Indeed, 
he  had  been  informed  that  the  late  William  Thomson,  the  Scottish 
musician,  who  published  the  Orpheus  Caledonius,  1733,  2  vols.  8vo, 
declared  he  had  heard  portions  of  it  repeated  in  his  infancy,  before 
Lady  Wardlaw's  copy  was  heard  of." 

Bishop  Percy  "was  also  informed,  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  David 
Clerk,  M.D.,  of  Edinburgh,  that  between  the  present  stanzas,  36  and 

37,  the  two  following  had  been  intended,  but  were  on  maturer  con- 
sideration omitted : — 

" '  Now  darts  flew  wavering  through  slaw  speed, 

Scarce  could  they  reach  their  aim ; 
Or  reach'd,  scarce  blood  the  round  point  drew, 

'Twas  all  but  shot  in  vain: 
Bight  strengthy  arms  fore-feebled  grew, 

Sair  wreck'd  wi'  that  day's  toils; 
E'en  fierce-bom  minds  now  lang'd  for  peace, 

And  curs'd  war's  cruel  broils. 

" '  Yet  still  war's  horns  soimded  to  charge, 

Swords  clash'd  and  harness  rang; 
But  saftly  sae  ilk  blastie  blew 

The  hills  and  dales  frae  'mang. 
Nae  echo  heard  in  double  dints, 

Nor  the  lang-winding  horn; 
Nae  mair  she  blew  out  brade,  as  she 

Did  eir  that  summer's  mom.'" 

•  She  was  bom,  April,  1677;  married,  June,  1696;  and  died  in  1727. 


HAEDYKNDTE.  359 


In  Scottish  Tragic  Ballads  (1781),  Pinkerton  gave  to  the  world 
" Hardyknute,"  in  what  he  professed  to  regard  as  "its  original 
I)erfection,"  such  "perfection"  being  the  result  of  sundry  improve- 
ments on  the  previous  text,  and  the  addition  of  a  second  part  by 
himself;  although,  in  his  Prefatory  Dissertation  II.  (p  xxxv.),  he 
alleges  his  indebtedness,  "for  most  of  the  stanzas  now  recovered,  to 
the  memory  of  a  lady  in  Lanarkshire." 

In  the  second  edition  of  the  same  work,  published  as  Select  Scottish 
Ballads,  vol.  i.  (1783),  and  in  "A  List  of  the  Scottish  Poets,"  pre- 
fixed to  Ancient  Scottish  Poems  (1786),  vol.  L  (p.  cxxvi.-viii.),  he 
propounded,  on  the  authority  of  an  alleged  communication  from 
Lord  Hailes,  an  elaborate  theory  as  to  the  assumed  authorship  of 
part  first  by  Sir  John  Bruce,  brother-in-law  to  Lady  Wardlaw.  He 
then  proceeds  (p.  cxxviii.)  to  state,  regarding  "the  second  part  of 
'  Hardyknute,'  written  in  1776  [when  he  was  only  eighteen  years 
of  age],  but  not  published  tUl  1781,  the  editor  must  now  confess 
himself  guilty. " 

With  reference  to  the  assumed  authorship  of  the  first  part  by  Sir 
John  Bruce,  the  literary  correspondence  of  Pinkerton,  published  by 
Mr.  Dawson  Turner,  in  2  vols.  8vo,  1830,  furnishes  the  following 
sufficient  refutation,  in  a  letter  from  Lord  Hailes  to  Pinkerton,  dated 
2d  December,  1785,  wherein  his  lordship  states: — "You  mistook  if 
you  suppose  that  I  reckoned  Sir  John  Bruce  to  be  the  author  of 
'  Hardy knute.'  It  was  his  sister-in-law.  Lady  Wardlaw,  who  is  said 
to  have  been  the  author.  All  that  I  know  on  the  subject  is  men- 
tioned in  Bishop  Percy's  collection.  If  you  want  to  have  the  original 
edition,  with  the  supplementary  stanzas  in  the  handwriting  of  Dr. 
John  Clerk,  the  copy  is  at  your  service." 

Bishop  Percy  was  subsequently  "  indebted"  to  Pinkerton  "  for  the 
use"  of  Dr.  Clerk's  copy,  the  "orthography"  and  "readings"  of 
which  were  "  followed"  in  the  fourth  edition  of  the  Reliques  (1794), 
"except  in  a  few  instances  wherein  the  common  edition  appeared 
preferable;"  but  to  counterbalance  this  service,  he  shamefully  im- 
posed on  the  worthy  prelate's  credulity,  by  foisting  on  him  the 
exploded  theory  as  to  Sir  John  Bruce's  authorship;  although,  as 
we  now  know,  he  had  received  a  contradiction  of  it  under  the  hand 
of  Lord  Hailes,  as  above. 

"  Hardy  knute,"  which  Sir  Walter  Scott  terms  "a  most  spirited 
and  beautiful  imitation  of  the  ancient  ballad,"  *  and  which,  on  its  first 
appearance,  was  so  extravagantly  lauded,  has  of  late  years  been  as 
unduly  depreciated.  Its  historical  basis  is  rather  hazy ;  but  it  is 
usually  supposed  to  refer  to  the  battle  of  Largs — the  Scotish  Armada 
—fought  on  the  2d  of  October,  1263,  between  the  invading  force  led 
by  Haco,  King  of  Norway,  and  the  Scotish  army  commanded  in 
person  by  King  Alexander  III.  The  total  loss  of  the  Norwegians  in 
men,  in  this,  to  them,  most  disastrous  expedition,  has  been  computed 
at  20,000,  and  that  of  the  Scots  at  5,000.  The  victory  of  the  latter 
was  largely  due  to  Alexander,  Lord  High  Stewart  of  Scotland,  who 

*  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  i.,  p.  43.  "On  the  fly-leaf  of  his  copy  of  Eamsay's  E-er- 
ffreen,  1724,  in  which  the  ballad  appeared  in  an  amended  form,  he  says. — ^ Hardyk- 
nute  was  the  first  poem  I  ever  learnt — the  last  that  I  shall  forget.'" — Mr.  D.  Laing,  in 
Notes  to  Johnson's  Musical  Museum,  p.  *321. 


360  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


led  the  right  wing  of  the  Scotish  army,  and  who  is  supposed  to  be 
represented  in  the  ballad  as  "  Hardy knute,"  or  Hardyknicht.  The 
results  of  this  important  battle  were  the  immediate  and  permanent 
loss  to  Scandinavia  of  the  Hebrides  and  the  Isle  of  Man,  which  depen- 
dencies were  relinquished  to  Alexander  III.  of  Scotland,  by  terms  of 
a  treaty  concluded  in  1266,  with  Magnus,  the  successor  of  Haco.  The 
battle  of  Largs  put  an  effectual  stop  to  Scandinavian  aggressions  upon 
Scotland,  which  thenceforth  came  to  be  regarded  as  "the  grave  of 
the  Danes,"  whose  descendants  were  consequently  led  to  shun  its 
fatal  shores. 

The  text  of  the  Reliques,  fourth  edition,  is  here  adopted,  except 
in  a  few  instances. 

1  Stately  stepp'd  he  east  the  wall, 

And  stately  stepp'd  he  west ; 
Full  seventy  years  he  now  had  seen, 

With  scarce  seven  years  of  rest. 
He  lived  when  Britons'  breach  of  faith 

Wrought  Scotland  meikle  wae ; 
And  aye  his  sword  tauld,  to  their  cost, 

He  was  their  deadly  fae. 

2  High  on  a  hill  his  castle  stood, 

With  halls  and  tow'rs  a  height, 
And  goodly  chambers  fair  to  see, 

Where  he  lodged  many  a  knight. 
His  dame,  sae  peerless  ance  and  fair, 

For  chaste  and  beauty  deem'd, 
Nae  marrow  had  in  all  the  land, 

Save  Elenor,*  the  queen. 

3  Full  thirteen  sons  to  him  she  bare, 

All  men  of  valour  stout ; 
In  bluidy  tight,  with  sword  in  hand, 

Nine  lost  their  lives  but  doubt. 
Four  yet  remain;  long  may  they  live 

To  stand  by  liege  and  land! 
High  was  their  fame,  high  was  their  might, 

And  high  was  their  command. 

4  Great  love  they  bare  to  Fairly  fair, 

Their  sister  saft  and  dear; 
Her  girdle  show'd  her  middle  jimp, 

And  gowden  glist  her  hair. 
What  waefu'  wae  her  beauty  bred ! 

Waefu'  to  young  and  aulcl ; 
Waefu',  I  trow,  to  kith  and  kin, 

As  story  ever  tauld. 

*  "Margaret"  was  the  name  of  the  queen  of  Alexander  IlL     Her  mother  was 
"  Elenor,"  queen  of  England. 


HARDYKNUTE.  361 


6    The  king  of  Norse,  in  summer  tide, 

Puflf'd  up  with  pow'r  and  might, 
Landed  in  fair  Scotland  the  isle, 

With  mony  a  hardy  knight. 
The  tidings  to  our  gude  Scots  king 

Came,  as  he  sat  at  dine. 
With  noble  chiefs,  in  brave  array. 

Drinking  the  bluid-red  wine. 

6  "To  horse!  to  horse!  my  royal  liege ! 

Your  faes  stand  on  the  strand ; 
Full  twenty  thousand  glitt'ring  spears 

The  king  of  Norse  commands." 
"  Bring  me  my  steed  Madge,  dapple  gray," 

Our  gude  king  rose  and  cry'd : 
"  A  trustier  beast  in  all  the  land 

A  Scots  king  never  try'd. 

7  "  Go,  little  page,  tell  Hardyknute, 

That  lives  on  hill  so  hie, 
To  draw  his  sword,  the  dread  of  faes, 

And  haste  and  follow  me." 
The  little  page  flew  swift  as  dart 

Flung  by  his  master's  arm : 
"  Come  down,  come  down.  Lord  Hardyknute, 

And  rid  your  king  frae  harm." 

8  Then  red,  red  grew  his  dark-brown  cheeks, 

Sae  did  his  dark-brown  brow; 
His  looks  grew  keen,  as  they  were  wont 
,  In  dangers  great  to  do. 

He 's  ta'en  a  horn  as  green  as  glass. 

And  gi'en  five  sounds  sae  shrill. 
That  trees  in  greenwood  shook  thereat, 

Sae  loud  rang  ilka  hill. 

9  His  sons  in  manly  sport  and  glee 

Had  pass'd  that  summer's  mom. 
When,  lo  !  down  in  a  grassy  dale. 

They  heard  their  father's  horn. 
"  That  horn,"  quo'  they,  "  ne'er  sounds  in  peace- 

We've  other  sport  to  bide;" 
And  soon  they  hied  them  up  the  hill, 

And  soon  were  at  his  side. 

10     "  Late,  late  yestreen  I  ween'd  in  peace 
To  end  my  lengthen'd  life ; 
My  age  might  well  excuse  my  arm 
Frae  manly  feats  of  strife ; 


362  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


But  now  that  Norse  do  proudly  boast 

Fair  Scotland  to  enthrall, 
It 's  ne'er  be  said  of  Hardyknute, 

He  fear'd  to  fight  or  fall. 

11  "  Kobin  of  Eothsay,  bend  thy  bow ; 

Thy  arrows  shoot  sae  leel, 
That  mony  a  comely  countenance 

They've  turn'd  to  deadly  pale. 
Brade  Thomas,  take  ye  but  your  lance ; 

Ye  need  nae  weapons  mair. 
If  you  fight  wi  't  as  you  did  ance, 

'Gainst  Westmoreland's  fierce  heir. 

12  "  And  Malcolm,  light  of  foot  as  stag, 

That  runs  in  forest  wild, 
Get  me  my  thousands  three  of  men 

Well  bred  to  sword  and  shield. 
Bring  me  my  horse  and  harnesine. 

My  blade  of  metal  clear ; 
If  faes  but  kenn'd  the  hand  it  bare, 

They  soon  had  fled  for  fear. 

13  "  Farewell,  my  dame,  sae  peerless  gude," 

And  took  her  by  the  hand, — 
"  Fairer  to  me  in  age  you  seem, 

Than  maids  for  beauty  fam'd. 
My  youngest  son  shall  here  remain 

To  guard  these  stately  towers. 
And  shut  the  silver  bolt  that  keeps 

Sae  fast  your  painted  bowers." 

14  And  first  she  wet  her  comely  cheeks, 

And  then  her  boddice  green ; 
Her  silken  cords  of  twirtle  twist, 

Well  plett  with  silver  sheen ; 
And  apron  set  with  mony  a  dice 

Of  needle-work  sae  rare, 
Wove  by  nae  hand,  as  ye  may  guess, 

Save  that  of  Fairly  fair. 

15  And  he  has  ridden  o'er  muir  and  moss. 

O'er  hills  and  mony  a  glen. 
When  he  came  to  a  wounded  knight. 

Making  a  heavy  mane  : 
"  Here  must  I  lie,  here  must  I  die, 

By  treachery's  false  guiles ; 
Witless  I  was,  that  e'er  gave  faith 

To  wicked  woman's  smiles." 


HAEDYKNUTE.  363 


16  "  Sir  Knight,  if  ye  were  in  my  bow'r, 

To  lean  on  silken  seat, 
My  ladye's  kindly  care  you'd  prove, 

Who  ne'er  kenn'd  deadly  hate. 
Her  self  wou'd  watch  you  all  the  day. 

Her  maids  watch  all  the  night ; 
And  Fairly  fair  your  heart  wou'd  cheer, 

As  she  stands  in  your  sight. 

17  "  Arise,  young  knight,  and  mount  your  steed, 

Full  lowns  the  shining  day ; 
Choose  frae  my  men  whom  you  do  please, 

To  lead  you  on  the  way." 
With  smileless  look,  and  visage  wan, 

The  wounded  knight  reply'd, — 
"  Kind  chieftain,  your  intent  pursue, 

For  here  I  maun  abide. 

18  "To  me  nae  after  day  nor  night 

Can  e'er  be  sweet  or  fair ; 
But  soon  beneath  some  drapping  tree, 

Cauld  death  shall  end  my  care." 
With  him  nae  pleading  might  prevail ; 

Brave  Hardy knute  to  gain. 
With  fairest  words  and  reason  strong, 

Strave  courteously  in  vain. 

19  Syne  he  has  gone  far  hynd  out  o'er 

Lord  Chattan's  land  sae  wide ; 
That  lord  a  worthy  wight  was  aye, 

When  faes  his  courage  try'd  : 
Of  Pictish  race,  by  mothers  side, 

When  Picts  rul'd  Caledon, 
Lord  Chattan  claim'd  the  princely  maid. 

When  he  sav'd  Pictish  crown. 

20  Now  with  his  fierce  and  stalwart  train. 

He  reach'd  a  rising  height. 
Where,  braid  encampit  on  the  dale, 

The  Norsemen  lay  in  sight. 
"  Yonder,  my  valiant  sons  and  feirs, 

Our  raging  reivers  wait 
On  the  unconquer'd  Scotish  sward, 

To  try  with  us  their  fate. 

21  "  Make  orisons  to  Him  that  sav'd 

Our  souls  upon  the  rood. 
Syne  bravely  show  your  veins  are  filFd 
With  Caledonian  bluid." 


364  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


Then  forth  he  drew  his  trusty  glave, 

While  thousands  all  around, 
Drawn  frae  their  sheaths,  glanc'd  in  the  sun, 

And  loud  the  bugles  sound. 

22  To  join  his  king,  adown  the  hill 

In  haste  his  march  he  made, 
While,  playin'  pibrochs,  minstrels  meet, 

Before  him  stately  strade. 
"  Thrice  welcome,  valiant  stoop  of  weir, 

Thy  nation's  shield  and  pride ; 
Thy  king  nae  reason  has  to  fear, 

When  thou  art  by  his  side." 

23  When  bows  were  bent  and  darts  were  thrown. 

For  thrang  scarce  could  they  flee, 
The  darts  clove  arrows  as  they  met, 

The  arrows  dart  the  tree. 
Lang  did  they  rage  and  fight  full  fierce, 

With  little  scaith  to  man  ; 
But  bluidy,  bluidy  was  the  field. 

Ere  that  lang  day  was  done. 

24  The  king  of  Scots  that  sindle  brook'd 

The  war  that  look'd  like  play. 
Drew  his  braid  sword,  and  brake  his  bow, 

Since  bows  seem'd  but  delay. 
Quoth  noble  Kothsay — "  Mine  I'll  keep, 

I  wot  it 's  bled  a  score." 
"  Haste  up,  my  merry  men,"  cried  the  king. 

As  he  rode  on  before. 

25  The  king  of  Norse  he  sought  to  find, 

With  him  to  'mence  the  faught ; 
But  on  his  forehead  there  did  light 

A  sharp  unsonsie  shaft. 
As  he  his  hand  put  up  to  find 

The  wound,  an  arrow  keen, 
Oh,  waeful  chance!  there  pinn'd  his  hand 

In  midst  between  his  een. 

26  "Eevenge!  revenge!"  cried  Both  say's  heir, 

"  Your  mail-coat  shall  not  bide 
The  strength  and  sharpness  of  mj^  dart;" 

Then  sent  it  through  his  side. 
Another  arrow  well  he  mark'd, 

It  pierc'd  his  neck  in  twa : 
His  hands  then  quat  the  silver  reins — 

He  low  as  earth  did  fa'. 


HARDTKNUTE.  365 


27  "  Sair  bleeds  my  liege,  sair,  sair  he  bleeds!" 

Again  with  might  he  drew, 
And  gesture  dread  his  sturdy  bow, 

Fast  the  braid  arrow  flew. 
Wae  to  the  knight  he  ettled  at  I 

Lament  now,  queen  Elgreid ! 
High  dames,  too,  wail  your  darling's  fall, 

His  youth  and  comely  meid. 

28  "  Take  aflf,  take  aff  his  costly  jupe," 

(Of  gold  well  was  it  twin'd, 
Knit  like  the  fowler's  net,  through  which 

His  steelly  harness  shin'd). 
"  Take  Norse  that  gift  frae  me,  and  bid 

Him  venge  the  bluid  it  bears ; 
Say,  if  he  face  my  bended  bow. 

He  sure  nae  weapon  fears." 

29  Proud  Norse,  with  giant  body  tall. 

Braid  shoulder,  and  arms  strong. 
Cried — "  Where  is  Hardyknute,  sae  fam'd 

And  fear'd  at  Britain's  throne? 
Tho'  Britons  tremble  at  his  name, 

I  soon  shall  make  him  wail 
That  e'er  my  sword  was  made  sae  sharp, 

Sae  saft  his  coat  of  mail." 

30  That  brag  his  stout  heart  cou'dna  bide, 

It  lent  him  youthful  might : 
"I'm  Hardyknute;  this  day,"  he  cried, 

"  To  Scotland's  king  I  heght 
To  lay  thee  low  as  horses'  hoof; 

My  word  I  mean  to  keep : " 
Syne,  with  the  first  stroke  e'er  he  strake. 

He  gar'd  his  body  bleed. 

31  Norse  e'en  like  gray  gos-hawks  stair'd  wild, 

He  sigh'd  with  shame  and  spite : 
"  Disgrac'd  is  now  my  far-fam'd  arm. 

That  left  thee  power  to  smite." 
Then  gave  his  head  a  blow  sae  fell, 

It  made  him  down  to  stoop, 
As  low  as  he  to  ladies  us'd 

In  courtly  guise  to  lout. 

32  Full  soon  he  rais'd  his  bent  body. 

His  bow  he  marvell'd  sair, 
Since  blows  till  then  on  him  but  darr'd 
As  touch  of  Fairly  fair. 


366  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Norse  marvell'd  too  as  sair  as  he, 

To  see  his  stately  look ; 
Sae  soon  as  e'er  he  strake  a  fae, 

Sae  soon  his  life  he  took. 

33  Where,  like  a  fire  to  heather  set, 

Bauld  Thomas  did  advance, 
A  sturdy  fae,  with  look  enrag'd. 

Up  towards  him  did  prance. 
He  spurr'd  his  steed  throw  thickest  ranks. 

The  hardy  youth  to  quell. 
Who  stood  unmov'd  at  his  approach, 

His  fury  to  repel. 

34  "  That  short  brown  shaft,  sae  meanly  trimm'd, 

Looks  like  poor  Scotland's  gear ; 
But  dreadful  seems  the  rusty  point !  " 

And  loud  he  leugh  in  jeer. 
"  Oft  Britons'  bluid  has  dimn'd  its  shine, 

This  point  cut  short  their  vaunt :  " 
Syne  pierc'd  the  boaster's  bearded  cheek, 

Nae  time  he  took  to  taunt. 

35  Short  while  he  in  his  saddle  swang, 

His  stirrup  was  nae  stay : 
Sae  feeble  hang  his  unbent  knee. 

Sure  token  he  was  fey. 
Swith  on  the  harden'd  clay  he  fell. 

Right  far  was  heard  the  thud ; 
But  Thomas  look'd  not  as  he  lay, 

All  weltering  in  his  bluid. 

36  With  careless  gesture,  mind  unmov'd, 

On  rode  he  north  the  plain ; 
His  seem  in  throng  of  fiercest  strife 

When  winner  aye  the  same. 
Nor  yet  his  heart-dame's  dimpl'd  cheek 

Cou'd  mease  saft  love  to  brook. 
Till  yengeful  Ann  retum'd  his  scorn, 

Then  languid  grew  his  look. 

37  In  thraws  of  death,  with  wallow'd  cheek, 

All  panting  on  the  plain, 
The  fainting  corps  of  warriors  lay. 

Ne'er  to  arise  again; 
Ne'er  to  return  to  native  land, 

Nae  mair,  with  blythesome  sounds, 
To  boast  the  glories  of  the  day, 

And  show  their  shining  wounds. 


HARDYKNUTE,  367 


38  On  Norway's  coast  the  widow'd  dame 

May  wash  the  rocks  with  tears — 
May  lang  look  o'er  the  shipless  seas 

Before  her  mate  appears. 
Cease,  Emma,  cease  to  hope  in  vain, 

Thy  lord  lies  in  the  clay; 
The  valiant  Scots  nae  reivers  thole 

To  carry  life  away. 

39  There  on  a  lee,  where  stands  a  cross, 

Set  up  for  monument, 
Tliousands  full  fierce  that  summer's  day 

Fill'd  keen  war's  black  intent. 
Let  Scots,  while  Scots,  praise  Hardyknute, 

Let  Norse  the  name  aye  dread : 
Ay,  how  he  faught,  oft  how  he  spair'd, 

Shall  latest  ages  read. 

40  Loud  and  chill  blew  the  westlin'  wind, 

Sair  beat  the  heavy  shower, 
Mirk  grew  the  night  ere  Hardyknute 

Wan  near  his  stately  tow'r. 
His  tow'r,  that  us'd  with  torches  blaze, 

To  shine  sae  far  at  night, 
Seem'd  now  as  black  as  mourning  weed, 

Nae  marvel  sair  he  sigh'd. 

41  "  There 's  nae  light  in  my  ladye's  bower. 

There's  nae  light  in  my  ball; 
Nae  blink  shines  round  my  Fairly  fair. 

Nor  ward  stands  on  my  wall. 
What  bodes  it  ?  Robert,  Thomas,  say !  " — 

Nae  answer  fits  their  dread. 
"  Stand  back,  my  sons,  I'll  be  your  guide; " 

But  by  they  pass'd  with  speed. 

42  "  As  fast  I've  sped  o'er  Scotland's  faes," — 

There  ceas'd  his  brag  of  weir ; 
Sair  sham'd  to  mind  ought  but  his  dame, 

And  maiden  Fairly  fair. 
Black  fear  he  felt ;  but  what  to  fear, 

He  wist  not  yet  with  dread ; 
Sair  shook  his  body,  sair  his  limbs, 

And  all  the  warrior  fled. 


368  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


SIR  PATRICK  SPENS. 

"The  Grand  Old  Ballad  of  Sir  Patrick  Spens,"  as  it  is  styled  by- 
Coleridge,  *  "lays  claim  to  a  high  and  remote  antiquity.  It  is  su^jposed 
by  BishopPercy  to  be  founded  on  some  event  of  real  history  ;  but  in 
what  age  the  hero  of  it  lived,  or  when  the  fatal  expedition  which  it 
records  happened,  he  confesses  himself  unable  to  determine.  Sir 
Walter  Scott  and  Mr.  Finlay,  in  their  respective  collections,  concur 
in  assigning  it  a  like  foundation,  though  they  disagree  as  to  the 
historical  incident  whence  it  has  originated;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  Mr.  Eitson  asserts  that  '  no  memorial  of  the  subject  of  the 
baUad  exists  in  history.'  Sir  Walter  Scott  inclines  to  think  that  the 
ballad  may  record  some  unsuccessful  attempt  to  bring  home  Margaret, 
commonly  called  'The  Maid  of  Norway,'  previous  to  that  embassy 
despatched  for  her  by  the  Regency  of  Scotland,  after  the  death  of  her 
grandfather,  Alexander  III.  And,  though  no  account  of  such  an 
expedition  appears  in  history,  it  is  nevertheless  ingeniously  contended, 
that  its  silence  cannot  invalidate  tradition,  or  form  any  argument 
against  the  probability  of  such  an  event — more  especially  when  the 
meagre  materials  whence  Scottish  history  is  derived  are  taken  into 
view.  Mr.  Finlay  objects  to  giving  the  ballad,  as  it  stands,  so  high 
a  claim  to  antiquity,  but  suggests  that  if  it  be  referred  to  the  time  of 
James  III.,  who  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  the  King  of  Denmark, 
it  would  be  brought  a  step  nearer  probability. 

"  To  both  these  opinions,  however,  Ritson's  observation  applies 
mth  overwhelming  force.  There  is  no  historical  evidence  of  this 
disastrous  shipwreck,  either  in  the  embassy  for  the  Maiden  of 
Norway,  or  in  that  for  the  wife  of  James  III.  And  meagre  as  the 
sources  of  our  history  may  be,  it  seems  improbable  that  an  expedition 
which  terminated  so  fatally,  and  to  which  so  many  of  the  choicest 
gallants  of  the  day,  and  highest  nobles  of  the  land,  must  necessarily 
have  been  attached,  should  fail  to  be  chronicled.  Had  they  fallen  in 
the  field  of  battle,  would  all  memory  of  them  have  been  lost  ?  Cer- 
tainly not.  If  they  perished  on  the  ocean,  why  is  history  oblivious 
of  their  names?  The  very  circumstance  of  a  nsttional  calamity  like 
this  happening  by  shipwreck  being  of  more  rare  occurrence  than  one 
of  equal  magnitude  in  time  of  war,  would,  we  think,  be  a  very  mean 
of  securing  it  a  more  prominent  place  in  the  histories  of  the  times. 
The  ballad  must  therefore  be  either  wholly  fabulous,  or  it  must  refer 
to  some  other  event  than  any  yet  spoken  of. 

"Our  own  opinion  is,  that  the  ballad  is  founded  on  authentic 
history,  and  that  it  records  the  melancholy  and  disastrous  fate  of  the 
gallant  band  which  followed  in  the  suite  of  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Alexander  III. ,  when  she  was  espoused  to  Eric  of  Norway.  According 
to  Fordun,  in  this  expedition,  many  distinguished  nobles   accom- 

*  "The  bard,  be  sure,  was  weather-wise,  who  framed 
The  Grand  Old  Ballad  of  'Sir  Patrick  Spans.' " 

— Coleridge's  Sibylline  Leaves. 


SIR  PATRICK  SPENS,  369 


panied  her  to  Norway  to  grace  her  nuptials,  several  of  whom  per- 
ished in  a  storm  while  on  their  return  to  Scotland  (a.d.  MCCLXXXI.) 
Fordun,  lib.  x.,  cap.  xxxvii.  Whoever  studies  the  ballad  attentively, 
and  makes  due  allowance  for  the  transpositions,  corruptions,  and 
interpolations  which  must  unavoidably  have  crept  into  its  text, 
must  ultimately  become  a  convert  to  the  opinion  we  have  now 
advanced.     The  bitter  taunt  of  the  Norwegians  to  Sir  Patrick — 

'  Ye  Scottishmen  spend  a'  our  king's  gowd. 
And  a'  our  queenis  fee ' — 

was  without  meaning  and  point  formerly ;  its  application  is  now  felt. " 
— Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  9. 

Versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared  as  under : — 

I.  In  Percy's  Beliques,  vol.  i.,  as  "given  from  two  MS.  copies, 
transmitted  from  Scotland." 

II.  In  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  i.,  p.  295,  as  "taken  from  two 
MS.  copies,  collated  with  several  verses,  recited  by  the 
editor's  friend,  Robert  Hamilton,  Esq.,  advocate, — being 
the  sixteenth,  and  the  four  which  follow.  *  But  even  with 
the  assistance  of  the  common  copy,  the  ballad  seems  still 
to  be  a  fragment.  The  cause  of  Sir  Patrick's  voyage  is, 
however,  pointed  out  distinctly;  and  it  shows  that  the 
soug  has  claim  to  high  antiquity,  as  referriug  to  a  very 
remote  period  in  Scottish  history." 

III.  In  Jamieson's  PqpM?ar  ^aferfs,  vol.  i.,  p.  157.    This,  "which 

seems  the  most  perfect"  of  Scott's  "two  MS.  copies," 
was  transmitted  by  him  to  Jamieson,  as  stated  by 
both. 

IV.  In  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  1,  as  "taken  down 

from  the  recitation  of  'a  wight  of  Homer's  craft,'  who,  as 
a  wandering  minstrel,  blind  from  his  infancy,  has  been 
travelling  in  the  north  as  a  mendicant  for  these  last  fifty 
years.  He  learned  it  in  his  youth  from  a  very  old  person ; 
and  the  words  are  exactly  as  recited." — Note,  p.  289. 
Mr.  Motherwell,  who  saw  it  in  MS.,  styles  it  "one  of 
the  best  sets  of  this  ballad." 

The  text  which  follows  is  based  upon  Scott's  version,  with  the 
addition  of  stanzas  12,  13,  and  16,  from  Mr.  Buchan's  version,  and  of 
stanzas  21  and  22  from  Mr.  Finlay's  Scottish  Historical  and  Romantic 
Ballads,  vol.  i.,  Preface,  p.  xiii. 

The  departures  from  Scott's  text  are  neither  numerous  nor  impor- 
tant ;  and  wherever  they  appear  to  be  of  the  slightest  consequence, 
the  words  of  his  text  are  noted  under. 

N.B. — "In  singing,  the  interjection  '0  is  added  to  the  second 
and  fourth  lines." — Sir  Walter  Scott. 

*  In  the  text  here  printed,  they  are  numbered  19,  20,  23,  24,  and  25. 
2b 


370  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


1  The  king  sits  in  Dunfermline  town, 

Drinking  the  bluid-red  wine: 
"  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  gude"  skipper 
To  sail  this  ship  of  mine?" 

2  It 's  up  and  spake  an  eldern  knight, 

Sat  at  the  king's  right  knee — 
"  Sir  Patrick  Spens  is  the  best  sailor 
That  ever  sail'd  the  sea," 

3  The  king  has  written  a  braid  letter, 

And  seal'd  it  with  his  hand, 

And  sent  it  to  Sir  Patrick  Spens, 

"Was  walking  on  the  strand. 

4  "To  Noroway,  to  Noroway, 

To  Noroway  o'er  the  faem! 
The  king's  daughter  to  *  Noroway, 
'Tis  thou  maun  take "  her  hame ! " 

5  The  first  line  that  Sir  Patrick  read, 

A  loud,  loud  laugh  laugh'd  he ; 
But  ere  he  read  it  to  an  end,  * 
The  tear  blinded  his  e'e. 

6  "  Oh,  wha  is  this  has  done  this  deed. 

And  tauld  the  king  of  me, — 
To  send  us  out  at  this  time  of  the  year, 
To  sail  upon  the  sea? 

7  "  Be't  wind,  be't  weet,  be't  hail,  be't  sleet, 

Our  ship  must  sail  the  faem; 
The  king's  daughter  to**  Noroway, 
'Tis  we  must  take*  her  hame.""!" 

""Skeely." 
b  "Of." 

"  "  Bring."       I"  Scott'a  version. 
<J"To." 
«  "Fetch." 
*  Percy's  version  reads, — 

"  The  next  line  that  Sir  Patricli  read.' 
t  Buchan's  version  has  the  following  stanzas: — 

" '  Tell  eat  and  drink,  my  merry  men  a', 
An'  see  ye  be  well  thorn; 
For  blaw  it  weet,  or  blaw  it  wind. 
My  gude  ship  sails  the  morn. 
•        ******« 
" '  But  I  maun  sail  the  seas  the  mom. 
And  likewise  sae  maun  you; 
To  Noroway  wi'  our  king's  daughter,— 
A  chosen  queen  she 's  now.' " 


SIR  PATRICK  SPENS.  371 


8  They  hoysed  their  sails  on  Monenday  morn, 

With  all  the  speed  they  may, 
And  they  ha'e  landed  in  Noroway 
Upon  a  Wodensday. 

9  They  hadna  been  a  week,  a  week 

In  Noroway,  but  twae, 
When  that  the  lords  of  Noroway 
Began  aloud  to  say:  * 

10  "  Ye  Scottishmen  spend  all  our  king's  gowd, 

And  all  our  [young]  queen's  fee." 
"  Ye  lee,  ye  lee,  ye  liars  loud! 
Full  loud  I  hear  ye  lee ! 

11  "For  I  ha'e  brought  as  much  white  monie 

As  gane  f  my  men  and  me ; 
I  brought  a  half-fou  J  of  gude  red  gowd 
Out  o'er  the  sea  with  me. 

12  "  But  betide  me  weil,  betide  me  wae, 

This  day  I'se  leave  the  shore ; 
And  never  spend  my  king's  monie 
'Mong  Noroway  dogs  no  more." 

13  Then  out  it  spake  a  gude  auld  man, 

[In  Sir  Patrick's  companie :]  § 
"  Whatever  ye  do,  my  gude  master, 
Take  God  your  guide  to  be." 

14  "  Make  ready,  make  ready,  my  merry  men  all, 

Our  gude  ship  sails  the  morn." 
"Now,  ever  alake!  my  master  dear, 
I  fear  a  deadly  storm! 

15  "  I  saw  the  new  moon,  late  yestreen, 

With  the  auld  moon  in  her  arm; 
And  if  we  gang  to  sea,  master, 
I  fear  we'll  come  to  harm." 

*  "  They  hadna  stayed  into  that  place 
A  month  but  and  a  day, 
Till  he  caused  the  flip  in  mugs  gae  roun'. 
And  wine  in  cans  sae  gay. 
"  The  pipe  and  harp  sae  sweetly  play'd. 
The  trumpets  loudly  sound; 
In  every  hall  wherein  they  stayed, 
Wi'  their  mirth  did  rebound." — Buchan's  version. 

t  "  Gane : "  serve  or  sufSoe. 

t  "I  brought  a  half-fou  o'  gude  red  gowd." — Percy  and  Scott 
Scott  explains  "  half-fou  "  as  meaning  "  the  eighth  part  of  a  peck." 

§  "A  gude  decth  mot  he  dee."— Buchan. 


372  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF   SCOTLAND. 


16  [Sir  Patrick  and  his  merry  men  all 

Were  ance  mair  on  the  faem;]  * 
"With  five-and-fifty  Scots  lords'  sons, 
That  lang'd  to  be  at  hame. 

17  But  they  hadna  sail'd  upon  the  sea 

A  day  but  barely  three, 
When  the  lift  grew  dark,  and  the  wind  blew  loud, 
And  gurly  grew  the  sea. 

IS     The  ankers  brak,  and  the  topmasts  lap. 
It  was  sic  a  deadly  storm ; 
And  the  waves  came  o'er  the  broken  ship 
Till  all  her  sides  were  torn. 

19  "  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  gude  sailor 

To  take  my  helm  in  hand, 
Till  I  get  up  to  the  tall  topmast, 
To  see  if  I  can  spy  land  ?  " 

20  "  Oh,  here  am  I,  a  sailor  gude, 

To  take  the  helm  in  hand. 
Till  you  go  up  to  the  tall  topmast; 
But  I  fear  ye'll  ne'er  spy  land." 

21  Then  up  and  came  a  mermaid  wild, 

With  a  siller  cup  in  her  hand : 
"  Sail  on,  sail  on,  my  gude  Scots  lords, 
For  ye  soon  will  see  dry  land." 

22  "  Awa,  awa,  ye  mermaid  wild, 

And  let  your  fleechin'  be; 
For,  since  your  face  we've  seen  the  day, 
Dry  land  we'll  never  see." 

23  He  hadna  gane  a  step,  a  step, 

A  step  but  barely  ane, 
When  a  bolt  flew  out  of  the  goodly  ship,  f 
And  the  saut  sea  it  came  in.  J 

*  "  Young  Patrick  he  is  on  the  sea, 

And  even  on  the  faem." — Buchan. 
t  "  I  believe  a  modem  seaman  would  say, '  a  plank  had  started.'  .  .  .  Mr.  Finlay, 
however,  thinks  it  rather  means  that '  a  bolt  gave  way.' " — Scott.  On  which  sapient 
controversy  Mr.  Motherwell  sagely  remarks:— "It  seems  to  us  particularly  obvious, 
that  'if  a  bar  or  bolt  (Scottice,  bout)  had  loosened,'  a  plank  must  necessarily  have 
BtartecL" 

t  ■'  He  hadna  gane  to  his  tapmast, 
A  step  but  barely  three, 
Till  thro'  and  thro'  the  bonnie  ship's  side 
He  saw  the  green  haw  sea. 


SIR  PATEICK   SPENS.  373 


24  "  Gae  fetch  a  web  of  the  silken  claith. 

Another  of  the  twine, 
And  wap  them  into  our  gude  ship's  side, 
And  let  na  the  sea  come  in."  * 

25  They  fetch'd  a  web  of  the  silken  claith, 

Another  of  the  twine  ; 
And  they  wapp'd  them  into  the  gude  ship's  side, 
But  still  the  sea  came  in. 

26  Oh,  laith,  laith  were  our  gude  Scots  lords 

To  weet  their  cork-heel'df  shoonl 
But  lang  or  all  the  play  was  play'd, 
They  wet  their  hats  aboon. 

27  And  mony  was  the  feather  bed 

That  floated  on  the  faem; 
And  mony  was  the  gude  lord's  son 
That  never  mair  came  hame. 

28  Oh,  lang,  lang  may  the  ladies  sit, 

And  gaze  with  fan  in  hand,  J 
Before  they  see  Sir  Patrick  Spens 
Come  sailing  to  the  strand. 

29  And  lang,  lang  may  the  maidens  sit, 

With  their  gowd  kaims  in  their  hair, 
A-waiting  for  their  ain  dear  loves; 
For  them  they'll  see  nae  mair. 

" '  There  are  flve-an' -fifty  feather  beds. 
Well  packed  in  ae  room; 
And  ye'il  get  as  muckle  gnde  canvas 
As  wrap  the  ship  a'  roun'; 

" '  Ye'U  pict  her  well,  and  spare  her  not, 
And  mak' her  hale  and  Boun'; ' 
But  ere  he  had  the  word  well  spoke, 
The  bonnie  ship  was  down. 

"  Oh,  laith,  laith  were  our  gnde  lords'  sons 
To  weet  their  milk-white  hands; 
But  lang  ere  a'  the  play  was  ower. 
They  wat  their  gowden  bands." — Buchan's  version, 

♦  "  The  remedy  appUed  seems  to  be  that  mentioned  in  Cook's  Voyages,  when,  upon 
Kome  occasion,  to  stop  a  leak,  which  could  not  be  got  at  in  the  inside,  a  quilted  sail 
was  brought  under  the  vessel,  which,  being  drawn  into  the  leak  by  the  suction,  pre- 
vented the  entry  of  more  water.    Chaucer  says, — 

'  There  n'is  na  new  gnise  that  it  na'as  old.'  "—Scott, 
t  "Coal-black." — Buchan. 
X  "  Wi'  their  fans  into  their  hand." — Percy  and  Scott, 


374  BALL.\D   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


30    Half  ower,  half  ower  to  Aberdour,* 
'Tis  fifty  fathoms  deep; 
And  there  lies  gude  Sir  Patrick  Speus, 
With  the  Scots  lords  at  his  feet. 


THOMAS  THE  RHYMER. 

PAET  FIRST. — ANCIENT. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  iv.,  p.  110. 

"Few  i)ersonages  are  so  renowned  in  tradition  as  Thomas  of  Ercil- 
doune,  known  by  the  appellation  of  'The  Rhymer.'  Uniting,  or 
supposing  to  unite,  in  his  person  the  powers  of  poetical  composition,  + 
and  of  vaticination,  his  memory,  even  after  the  lapse  of  five  hundred 
years,  is  regarded  with  veneration  by  his  countrymen.  To  give  any- 
thing like  a  certain  history  of  this  remarkable  man  would  be  indeed 
difficult ;  but  the  curious  may  derive  some  satisfaction  from  the  parti- 
culars here  brought  together. 

"  It  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  that  the  residence,  and  probably  the 
birthplace,  of  this  ancient  bard  was  ErcUdouue,  a  village  situated 
upon  the  Leader,  two  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Tweed.  The 
nuns  of  an  ancient  tower  are  still  pointed  out  as  the  Rhymer's  castle. 
The  uniform  tradition  bears,  that  his  surname  was  Lermont,  or  Lear- 
mont ;  and  that  the  appellation  of  '  The  Rhymer '  was  conferred  on 
him  in  consequence  of  his  poetical  compositions.  There  remains, 
nevertheless,  some  doubt  upon  the  subject.  In  a  charter,  which  is 
subjoined  at  length,  J  the  son  of  our  poet  designed  himself  'Thomas 

•  "  In  Scott's  Border  Minstrelsy,  this  line  reads — 

'Oh,  forty  miles  off  Aberdeen; 
but  we  are  inclined  to  favour  the  reading — 

'Half  ower,  half  ower  to  Aberdour.' 
For,  with  Bubmiesion  to  the  opinion  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  the  meaning  of  this  line  is 
not  that  the  shipwreck  tooli  place  in  the  Firth  of  Forth,  but  midway  between  Aberdour 
arid  Norway.  And,  as  it  would  seem  from  the  narrative,  at  the  commencement  of 
the  ballad,  that  Sir  Patrick  sailed  from  the  Forth,  it  is  but  fair  to  infer  that,  in  his 
disastrous  voyage  homeward,  he  would  endeavour  to  make  the  same  port.  This 
opinion  vsdll  be  corroborated  if  we  are  correct  in  assigning  the  ballad  to  the  histori- 
cal event  mentioned  in  the  introductory  remarks." — Motherwell 

t  Sir  "Walter  Scott,  in  his  edition  of  Sir  Trisirem,  not  only  claims  the  authorship  of 
that  romance  for  "Thomas  the  Rhymer,"  but  also  ascribes  to  him  the  roman;'e  of 
'•  Kyng  Horn."— See  Scott's  Introduction,  p.  lis.  The  ballad  of  "  Hynde  Horn"  will 
be  found  ante,  p.  125. 

X  ^'From  the  Chartulary  of  the  Trinity  Hottse  ofSoltra  Advocates'  Library,  W.  4.  44. 
'•ERSYLTON. 

"Omnibus  has  literas  visnris  vel  audituris  Thomas  de  Ercildoun  Alius  et  heres 
Thomffi  Rymour  de  Ercildoun  salutem  in  Domino.  Noveritis  me  per  fustem  et 
bacnlum  in  pleno  judicio  resignasse  ac  per  presentes  quietem  clamasse  pro  me  et 
heredibus  meis  Magistro  domus  Sanct«  Trinitatis  de  Soltre  et  fratribns  ejusdem 
domus  totam  terram  meam  cum  omnibus  pertinentibus  suis  quam  in  tenemento  de 
Ercildoun  hereditarie  tenui  renunoiando  de  toto  pro  me  et  heredibus  meis  omni  jure 
et  clameo  quee  ego  seu  antecessores  mei  in  eadem  teiTa  alioque  tempore  de  perpetuo 
habuimus  sive  de  futuro  habere  possumus.  In  cujus  rei  testimonio  presentibus 
nis  sigillum  meimi  apposui  data  apud  Ercildoun  die  Martis  proximo  post  festum 
Sanctorum  Apostolorum  Symonis  et  Jude  Anno  Domini  1299." 


THOMAS  THE   RHTMER.  375 


of  Ercildoun,  son  and  heir  of  Thomas  Ejmiour  of  Ercildoun,'  which 
seems  to  imply  that  the  father  did  not  bear  the  hereditary  name  of 
Learmont ;  or,  at  least,  was  better  known  and  distinguished  by  the 
epithet,  which  he  had  acquired  by  his  personal  accomplishments.  I 
must,  however,  remark,  that,  down  to  a  very  late  period,  the  practice 
of  distinguishing  the  parties,  even  in  formal  writings,  by  the  epithets 
which  had  been  bestowed  on  them  from  personal  circumstances,  in- 
stead of  the  proper  surnames  of  their  fanulies,  was  common,  and  in- 
deed necessary,  among  the  Border  clans.  So  early  as  the  end  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  when  surnames  were  hardly  introduced  in  Scot- 
land, this  custom  must  have  been  universal.  There  is,  therefore, 
nothing  inconsistent  in  supposing  our  poet's  name  to  have  been 
actually  Learmont,  although,  in  this  charter,  he  is  distinguished  by 
the  popular  appellation  of  '  The  Khymer. ' 

"  We  are  better  able  to  ascertain  the  period  at  which  Thomas  of 
Ercildonne  lived,  being  the  latter  end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  I 
am  inclined  to  place  his  death  a  little  further  back  than  Mr.  Pinker- 
ton,  who  supposes  that  he  was  alive  in  1300  (List  of  Scottish  Poets), 
which  is  hardly,  I  think,  consistent  with  the  charter  already  quoted, 
by  which  his  son,  in  1299,  for  himself  and  his  heirs,  conveys  to  the 
convent  of  the  Trinity  of  Soltra,  the  tenement  which  he  possessed  by 
inheritance  (hereditarie)  in  Ercildoune,  with  all  claim  which  he  or  his 
predecessors  could  pretend  thereto.  From  this  we  may  infer,  that 
the  Rhymer  was  now  dead,  since  we  find  the  son  disposing  of  the 
famUy  property.  Still,  however,  the  argument  of  the  learned  historian 
will  remain  unimpeached  as  to  the  time  of  the  poet's  birth.  For  if, 
as  we  learn  from  Barbour,  his  prophecies  wei-e  held  in  reputation  *  as 
early  as  1306,  when  Bruce  slew  the  Eed  Cummin,  the  sanctity,  and 
(let  me  add  to  Mr.  Pinkerton's  words)  the  uncertainty  of  antiquity, 
must  have  already  involved  his  character  and  writings.  In  a  charter 
of  Peter  de  Haga  de  Bemersyde,  which  unfortunately  wants  a  date, 
the  Ehymer,  a  near  neighbour,  and,  if  we  may  trust  tradition,  a  friend 
of  the  family,  appears  as  a  witness. — Chartulary  of  Melrose. 

"  It  cannot  be  doubted,  that  Thomas  of  Ercildoune  was  a  remark- 
able and  important  person  in  his  own  time,  since,  very  shortly  after 
his  death,  we  find  him  celebrated  as  a  prophet  and  as  a  poet.  Whether 
he  himself  made  any  pretensions  to  the  first  of  these  characters,  or 
whether  it  was  gratuitously  conferred  upon  him  by  the  credulity  of 
posterity,  it  seems  difficult  to  decide.  If  we  may  believe  Mackenzie, 
Learmont  only  versified  the  prophecies  delivered  by  Eliza,  an  inspired 
nun  of  a  convent  at  Haddington.  But  of  this  there  seems  not  to  be 
the  most  distant  proof.  On'  the  contrary,  all  ancient  authors,  who 
quote  the  Rhymer's  prophecies,  uniformly  suppose  them  to  have  been 
emitted  by  himself.     Thus,  in  Wintown's  Chronicle : — 

'  Of  this  fycht  quilum  spak  Thomas 
Of  Ersyldoune,  that  sayd  in  deme. 
There  suld  meit  stalwartly,  starke  and  steme. 
He  sayd  it  in  his  prophecy; 
But  how  he  wist  it  was  fe.ly.' — Book  ■viii.,  chap.  32. 

•  "  The  lines  alluded  to  are  these : — 

'  I  hope  that  Thomas's  prophecie,  ' 

Of  Erceidoun,  shall  truly  be 
In  him,'  &c." 


376  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"  There  could  have  been  no  ferly  (marvel)  in  Wintown's  eyes  at 
least,  how  Thomas  came  by  his  knowledge  of  future  events,  had  he 
ever  heard  of  the  inspired  nun  of  Haddington,  which,  it  cannot  be 
doubted,  would  have  been  a  solution  of  the  mystery,  much  to  the 
taste  of  the  prior  of  Lochleven.* 

"Whatever  doubts,  however,  the  learned  might  have  as  to  the 
source  of  the  Rhymer's  prophetic  skill,  the  vulgar  had  no  hesitation 
to  ascribe  the  whole  to  the  intercourse  between  the  bard  and  the 
Queen  of  Faery.  The  popular  tale  bears,  that  Thomas  was  cp.rried 
off,  at  an  early  age,  to  the  Fairy  Land,  where  he  acquired  all  the 
knowledge  which  made  him  afterwards  so  famous.  Alter  seven  years' 
residence,  he  was  permitted  to  return  to  the  earth,  to  enlighten  and 
astonish  his  countrymen  by  his  prophetic  powers;  still,  however, 
remaining  bound  to  return  to  his  royal  mistress  when  she  should 
intimate  her  pleasure.  Accordingly,  while  Thomas  was  making 
merry  with  his  friends  in  the  Tower  of  Ercildoune,  a  person  came 
running  in,  and  told,  with  marks  of  fear  and  astonishment,  that  a 
hart  and  hind  had  left  the  neighbouring  forest,  and  were,  composedly 
and  slowly,  parading  the  street  of  the  village^  The  prophet  instantly 
arose,  left  his  habitation,  and  followed  the  wonderful  animals  to  the 
forest,  whence  he  was  never  seen  to  return.  According  to  the  popu- 
lar belief,  he  still  '  drees  his  weird '  in  Fairy  Land,  and  is  one  day 
expected  to  revisit  earth.  In  the  meanwhile,  his  memory  is  held 
in  the  most  profound  respect.  The  Eildon  Tree,  from  beneath  the 
shade  of  which  he  delivered  his  prophecies,  now  no  longer  exists ;  but 
the  spot  is  marked  by  a  large  stone,  called  Eildon  Tree  Stone.  A 
neighbouring  rivulet  takes  the  name  of  the  Bogle  Burn  (Goblin  Brook) 
from  the  Rhymer's  supernatural  visitants. 

"  It  seemed  to  the  editor  unpardonable  to  dismiss  a  person  so  im- 
portant in  Border  tradition  as  the  Rhymer,  without  some  further 
notice  than  a  simple  commentary  upon  the  following  ballad.  It  is 
given  from  a  copy,  obtained  from  a  lady  residing  not  far  from 
Ercildoune,  corrected  and  enlarged  by  one  in  Mrs.  Brown's  MSS. 
The  former  copy,  however,  as  might  be  expected,  is  far  more  minute 
as  to  local  description.  To  this  old  tale  the  editor  has  ventured  to 
add  a  Second  Part,  consisting  of  a  kind  of  canto,  from  the  printed 
prophecies  vulgarly  ascribed  to  the  Rhymer.  +  To  make  his  peace 
with  the  more   severe  antiquaries,  the   editor  has  prefixed  to  the 

*  "  Henry  the  Minstrel,  who  introduces  Thomas  into  the  History  of  Wallace, 
expresses  the  same  doubt  as  to  the  source  of  his  prophetic  knowledge : — 
'  Thomas  Bhymer  into  the  faile  was  than 
With  the  minister,  which  was  a  worthy  man. 
He  used  oft  to  that  religious  place; 
The  people  deemed  of  wit  he  meikle  can, 
And  so  he  told,  though  that  they  hlesa  or  ban, 
In  rule  of  wnr  whether  they  tint  or  wan; 
"Which  happent  d  sooth  in  many  divers  case; 
I  cannot  say  by  wrong  or  righteousness. 
It  may  be  deemed  by  division  of  grace.'  &c. 

— History  of  Wallace,  book  ii." 

t  "  There  is  a  singular  resemblance  betwixt  this  tradition,  and  an  incident  or-curring 
in  the  life  of  Merlin  Caledonius,  which  the  reader  will  find  a  few  pages  onwards." — S. 

X  "  And  a  Third  Part,  entirely  modern,  founded  upon  the  tradition  of  his  having 
returned  with  the  hart  and  hind  to  the  Land  of  Faery."  Which  third  part  is  here 
omitted. 


THOMAS  THE  RHYMER.  377 


Second  Part  some  remarks  on  Learmont's  prophecies." — Sir  Walter 
Scott. 

Some  additional  stanzas  and  various  readings  are  added  in  the 
notes,  from  a  "  copy  procured  in  Scotland  "  by  Mr.  Jamieson,  and 
given  in  his  Popular  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  7. 

1  True  Thomas  lay  on  Hnutly  bank; 

A  lerlie"  he  spied  vs^ith  his  e'e; 
And  there  he  saw  a  ladye  briglit, 

Came  riding  down  by  the  Eildon  tree.* 

2  Her  skirt  was  made"  of  the  grass-green  silk, 

Her  mantle  of  the  velvet  fine ; 
At  ilka  telt  of  her  horse's  mane, 
Himg  fifty  siller  bells  and  nine. 

3  True  Thomas  he  pall'd  aff  his  cap, 

And  louted  low  down  to  his  knee:"* 
"  All  hail,  thou  mighty  Queen  of  Heaven, 
For  thy  peer  on  earth  I  never  did  see  I " 

4  "  Oh  no,  oh  no,*  Thomas,"  she  said, 

"  That  name  does  not  belong  to  me; 
I  am  but  the  Queen  of  fair  Elfland, 
That  am  hither  come  to  visit  thee  ! 

5  "  Harp  and  carp.  True  Thomas,"  she  said, 

"  Harp  and  carp  along  with  me; 
And  if  ye  dare  to  kiss  my  lips. 
Sure  of  your  body  I  shall  be ! " 

6  "  Betide  me  weal,  betide  me  woe, 

That  weird  shall  never  daunton  me  !  "-^ 
Syne  he  has  kiss'd  her  rosy  lips. 
All  underneath  the  Eildon  tree," 

7  "  Now  ye  maun  go  with  me,"  she  said, 

"  True  Thomas,  ye  maun  go  with  me; 
And  ye  maun  serve  me  seven  years, 
Thro'  weal  or  woe,  as  chance  may  be," 

"  "Ferlle:  "  a  wonder,  a  marvel. 

*  Variationa  on  stanzas  1  to  4,  from  Jamieson's  fragment; — 
"  True  Thomas  lay  o'er  yonder  bank, 
And  he  beheld" a  ladye  gay; 
A  ladye,  that  was  brisk  and  bold. 
Come  riding  o'er  the  fern  e  brae." 


"Omits  "made." 


'True  Thomas  he  took  off  his  hat, 

And  bow'd  him  low  down  till  his  knee ' 


'Inserts  "True." 

/  "  That  weird,"  &c.:  "That  destiny  shall  never  frighten  me."— Scott 
"  Stanzas  5  and  6  do  not  appear  in  Jamieson's  fragment 


378  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


8  She  turn'd  about  her  milk-white  steed, 

And  took  True  Thomas  up  behind ; 
And  aye,  whene'er  her  bridle  rung, 
The  steed  flew  swifter  than  the  wind." 

9  Oh,  they  rade  on,  and  farther  on, 

The  steed  gaed  swifter  than  the  wind, 
Until  they  reach'd  a  desert  wide, 
And  living  land  was  left  behind. ' 

10  "  Light  down,  light  down,  now,  True  Thomas, 

And  lean  your  head  upon  my  knee; 
Abide,  and  rest  a  little  space, 

And  I  will  show  you  ferlies  three. 

11  "  Oh,  see  ye  na  that  braid,  braid  road. 

That  lies  across  the  lily  leven? 
That  is  the  path  of  wickedness, 

Tho'  some  call  it  the  road  to  heaven. 

12  "  And  see  ye  not  yon  narrow  road, 

Sae  thick  beset  with  thorns  and  briers? 
That  is  the  path  of  righteousness, 
Tho'  after  it  but  few  inquires. 

13  "  And  see  ye  not  yon  bonnie  roarl, 

That  winds  about  the  ferny  brae? 
That  is  the  way  to  fair  Elfland, 

Where  you  and  I  this  night  maun  gae. 

"  The  variations  of  stanza  8,  here  noted,  are  from  Scott's  version,  Jamieson's 
corresponding  stanza  being  substituted  in  the  text  as  preferable : — 
"She's  mounted  on,''  &c.  {line  1). 
"And  gaed,"  &c.  {line  2). 

6  Stanza  9  is  not  in  Jamieson's  fragment;  but  the  following  inferior  and  irregular 
stanzas  come  in  between  9  and  10  of  Scott's  text: — 

"  Oh.  they  rade  on,  and  farther  on. 
Until  they  came  to  a  garden  green ; 
'Light  down,  light  down,  ye  ladye  free. 
Some  of  that  fruit  let  me  pull  to  ihee.' 

"  '  Oh  no,  oh  no,  True  Thomas,'  she  says 
'  That  fi-uit  maun  no  be  touch' d  by  thee; 
For  all  the  plagues  that  are  in  hell 
Light  on  the  fruit  of  this  countrie. 

" '  But  I  have  a  laef  here  in  my  lap, 
Likewise  a  bottle  of  claiTy  wine; 
And  now,  ere  we  go  farther  on. 
We'll  rest  awhile,  and  ye  may  dine.' 

"  When  he  had  eaten  and  drank  his  fill, 
The  ladye  said — '  Ere  we  climb  yon  hill. 
Lay  your  head  upon  my  knee. 
And  I  will  show  thee  ferlies  three.' " 


THOMAS  THE   RHYMER.  379 


14  "  But,  Thomas,  ye  maun  hauld  your  tongue, 

Whatever  ye  may  hear  or  see; 
For  if  ye  speak  a  word  in  Elfin  land, 

Ye'U  ne'er  get  back  to  your  ain  countrie ! "  " 

15  Oh,  they  rade  on,  and  farther  on, 

And  they  waded  through  rivers  abune  the  knee, 
And  they  saw  neither  sun  nor  moon, 
But  they  heard  the  roaring  of  the  sea.  * 

16  It  was  mirk,  mirk  night,  there  was  nae  stem-light, ' 

And  they  waded  through  red  bluid  to  the  knee; 
For  all  the  bluid  that 's  shed  on  earth 
Bins  through  the  springs  of  that  countrie. 

17  Syne  they  came  on  to  a  garden  green, 

And  she  puU'd  an  apple  frae  a  tree  : 
"  Take  this  for  thy  wages.  True  Thomas; 

It  will  give  thee  the  tongue  that  will  never  lee ! " 

18  '* My  tongue  is  my  ain,"  True  Thomas  said; 

"  A  gudely  gift  ye  wou'd  gi'e  to  me ! 
I  neither  doughf'to  buy  nor  sell. 
At  fair  or  tryste  where  I  may  be. 

19  "  I  dought  neither  speak  to  prince  or  peer, 

Nor  ask  of  grace  from  fair  ladye ! " 
"Now,  hauld  thy  peace,"  the  ladye  she  said; 
"  For  as  I  say,  so  it  must  be."  * 

20  He  has  gotten  a  coat  of  the  even  cloth. 

And  a  pair  of  shoon  of  the  velvet  green; 
And  till  seven  years  were  gone  and  past, 
True  Thomas  on  earth  was  never  seen.-' 

"  Stanzas  11  to  14,  inclusive,  occur  almost  verbatim  in  Jamieson's  fragment 

*  •'  For  forty  days  and  forty  nights 

He  wade  througli  red  blude  to  the  knee; 
And  he  saw,"  &c. 

e  "  Stem-Ught: "  starlight. 

d  "  Bought : "  durst 

*  "The  traditional  commentary  upon  this  ballad  informs  us,  that  the  apple  was  the 
produce  of  the  fatal  Tree  of  Knowledge,  and  that  the  garden  was  the  terrestrial 

Earadise.    The  repugnance  of  Thomas  to  be  deban-ed  the  use  of  falsehood,  when 
e  might  find  it  convenient  has  a  comic  effect." — Scott 

Stanzas  16,  17, 18,  and  19 — with  the  exception  of  line  2,  stanza  16— are  not  to  be 
found  in  Jamieson's  fragment. 

/  Occurs  almost  verbatim  in  Jamieson's  fragment 


380  BALLAD  MmSTRELSr  OF  SCOTLAXD. 

THOMAS  THE  EHYMER. 

ALTERED   FROM   ANCIENT  PROPHECIES. 

PART  SECOND. 

"  The  prophecies  ascribed  to  Thomas  of  Ercildoune  have  been  the 
principal  means  of  securing  to  him  remembrance  '  amongst  the  sons 
of  his  people.'  The  author  of  Sir  Tristrem  would  long  ago  have 
joined,  in  the  vale  of  oblivion,  '  Clerk  of  Tranent,  who  wrote  the 
adventure  of  Schir  Gawain,'  if,  by  good  hap,  the  same  current  of 
ideas  respecting  antiquity,  which  causes  Virgil  to  be  regarded  as  a 
magician  by  the  lazaroni  of  Naples,  had  not  exalted  the  bard  of 
Ercildoune  to  the  prophetic  character.  Perhaps,  indeed,  he  himself 
aJBFected  it  during  his  life.  We  know  at  least,  for  certain,  that  a 
belief  in  his  supernatural  knowledge  was  current  soon  after  his  death. 
His  prophecies  are  alluded  to  by  Barbour,  by  Wintown,  and  by 
Henry  the  Minstrel,  or  Blind  Harry,  as  he  is  usually  termed.  None 
of  these  authors,  however,  give  the  words  of  auy  of  the  Rhymer's 
vaticinations,  but  merely  narrate,  historically,  his  having  predicted 
the  events  of  which  they  speak.  The  earliest  of  the  jirophecies 
ascribed  to  him,  which  is  now  extant,  is  quoted  by  Mr.  Pinkerton 
from  a  MS.  It  is  supposed  to  be  a  response  from  Thomas  of  Ercil- 
doune to  a  question  from  the  heroic  Countess  of  March,  renowned  for 
the  defence  of  the  Castle  of  Dunbar  against  the  English,  and  termed, 
in  the  familiar  dialect  of  her  time.  Black  Agnes  of  Dunbar.  This 
prophecy  is  remarkable,  iu  so  far  as  it  bears  verj'^  little  resemblance 
to  any  verses  published  in  the  printed  copy  of  the  Rhymer's  supposed 
prophecies.     The  verses  are  as  follows: — 

'La  countesse  de  Donbar  rlemande  a  Thomas  de  Essedoune  quant  la  guerre 
d'Escoce  prendreit  fyn.    E  yl  I'a  repoundy  et  dyt, — 

'  "When  man  is  mad  a  kyng  of  a  capped  man; 
When  man  is  levere  other  mones  thyng  than  his  owon ; 
When  londe  thouys  forest,  ant  forest  is  felde; 
When  hares  kendles  o'  the  her'stane; 
When  Wyt  and  Wille  werres  togedere; 

When  mon  makes  gtahles  of  kyrkes,  and  steles  castels  with  stye; 
When  Rokesboroughe  nys  no  burgh  ant  market  is  at  Forwyleye; 
When  Bamboume  is  donged  with  dede  men; 
When  men  ledes  men  in  ropes  to  buyen  and  to  sellen; 
When  a  quarter  of  whaty  whete  is  chaunged  for  a  colt  of  ten  markes; 
When  prude  (pride)  prikes  and  pees  is  leyd  in  prisoun ; 
When  a  Scot  ne  me  hym  hude  ase  hare  in  foi-me  that  the  English  ne  shall  hym 

fynde; 
When  rycht  ant  wronge  astente  the  togedere; 
When  laddes  weddeth  lovedies ; 

When  Scottes  flen  so  faste,  that,  for  faute  of  shep,  hy  drowneth  hemselve; 
When  shal  this  be? 
Nouther  in  thine  tyme  ne  in  mine ; 
Ah  comen  ant  gone 
Withinne  twenty  winter  ant  one.' 

— Pinkei-ton's  Poems,  from  MaitlancCs  MSS.  quoting  from  Ilarl.  Lib.  2253.  F.  107. 

"As  I  have  never  seen  the  MS.  from  which  Mr.  Pinkerton  makes 
his  extract,  and  as  the  date  of  it  is  fixed  by  him  (certainly  one  of  the 


THOMAS  THE   RHYMER.  381 


most  able  antiquaries  of  our  age)  to  the  reign  of  Edward  I.  or  II.,  it 
is  with  great  dilEdence  that  I  hazard  a  contrary  opinion.  There  can, 
however,  I  believe,  be  little  doubt,  that  these  prophetic  verses  are  a 
forgery,  and  not  the  production  of  our  Thomas  the  Ehymer.  But  I 
am  inclined  to  believe  them  of  a  later  date  than  the  reim  of  Edward 
I.  or  II, 

"  The  gallant  defence  of  the  Castle  of  Dunbar,  by  Black  Agnes,  took 
place  in  the  year  1337.  The  Ehymer  died  previous  to  the  year  1299 
(see  the  charter,  by  his  son,  in  the  introduction  to  the  foregoing 
ballad).  It  seems,  therefore,  very  improbable  that  the  Countess  of 
Dunbar  could  ever  have  an  opportunity  of  consulting  Thomas  the 
Rhymer,  since  that  would  infer  that  she  was  married,  or  at  least 
engaged  in  state  matters,  previous  to  1299  ;  whereas  she  is  described 
as  a  young,  or  middle-aged  woman,  at  the  period  of  her  being  besieged 
in  the  fortress  which  she  so  well  defended.  If  the  editor  might 
indulge  a  conjecture,  he  would  suppose  that  the  prophecy  was  con- 
trived for  the  encouragement  of  the  English  invaders,  during  the 
Scottish  wars ;  and  that  the  names  of  the  Countess  of  Dunbar,  and  of 
Thomas  of  Ercildoune,  were  used  for  the  greater  credit  of  the  forgery. 
According  to  this  hypothesis,  it  seems  likely  to  have  been  composed 
after  the  siege  of  Dunbar,  which  had  made  the  name  of  the  countess 
well  known,  and  consequently  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  The 
whole  tendency  of  the  prophecy  is  to  aver  that  there  shall  be  no  end 
of  the  Scottish  war  (concerning  which  the  question  was  proposed), 
till  a  final  conquest  of  the  country  by  England,  attended  by  all 
the  usual  severities  of  war.  '  When  the  cultivated  country  shall 
become  forest,'  says  the  prophecy ; — '  when  the  wild  animals  shall 
inhabit  the  abode  of  men ; — when  Scots  shaU  not  be  able  to  escape 
the  English,  should  they  crouch  as  hares  in  their  form,' — all  these 
denunciations  seem  to  refer  to  the  time  of  Edward  III.,  upon  whose 
victories  the  prediction  was  probably  founded.  The  mention  of  the 
exchange  betwixt  a  colt  worth  ten  marks,  and  a  quarter  of  '  whaty 
[indifl'erent]  wheat,'  seems  to  allude  to  the  dreadful  famine  about 
the  year  1388.  The  independence  of  Scotland  was,  however,  as 
impregnable  to  the  minds  of  superstition  as  to  the  steel  of  our  more 
powerful  and  more  wealthy  neighbours.  The  war  of  Scotland  is, 
thank  God,  at  an  end ;  but  it  is  ended  without  her  people  ha\'ing 
either  crouched  like  bases  in  their  form,  or  being  drowned  in  their 
flight,  '  for  faute  of  ships,' — thank  God  for  that  too.  The  prophecy 
quoted  is  probably  of  the  same  date,  and  intended  for  the  same 
purpose. 

"  A  minute  search  of  the  records  of  the  time  would  probably  throw 
additional  light  upon  the  allusions  contained  in  these  ancient  legends. 
Among  various  rhymes  of  prophetic  import,  which  are  at  this  day 
current  amongst  the  people  of  Teviotdale,  is  one  supposed  to  be  pro- 
nounced by  Thomas  the  Rhymer,  presaging  the  destruction  of  his 
habitation  and  family : — 

'  The  hare  sail  kittle  [litter]  on  my  hearth  stane. 
And  there  will  never  be  a  laird  Learmont  again.' 

The  first  of  these  lines  is  obviously  borrowed  from  that  in  the  MS. 
of  the  Hark  Library,   '  When  hares  kendles  o'  the  her'stane'— an 


382  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


emphatic  image  of  desolation.     It  is  also  inaccurately  quoted  in  the 
prophecy  of  Waldhave,  published  by  Andro  Hart,  1613 : — 

'This  Is  a  true  talking  that  Thomas  of  tells. 
The  hare  shall  hirple  on  the  hard  piearth]  stane.' 

"  Spottiswoode,  an  honest,  but  credulous  historian,  seems  to  have 
been  a  firm  believer  in  the  authenticity  of  the  prophetic  wares  vended 
in  the  name  of  Thomas  of  Ercildoune.  '  The  prophecies  yet  extant 
in  Scottish  rhymes,  whereupon  he  was  commonly  called  Thomas  the 
Ehymer,  may  justly  be  admired ;  havins;  foretold,  so  many  ages  before, 
the  union  of  England  and  Scotland,  in  the  ninth  degree  of  the  Bruce's 
blood,  with  the  succession  of  Bruce  himself  to  the  crown,  being  yet  a 
child,  and  other  divers  particulars,  which  the  event  hath  ratified  and 
made  good.  Boethius,  in  his  story,  relateth  his  prediction  of  King 
Alexander's  death,  and  that  he  did  foretell  the  same  to  the  Earl  of 
March,  the  day  before  it  fell  out,  saying,  "  That  before  the  next  day 
at  noon,  such  a  tempest  should  blow  as  Scotland  had  not  felt  for  many 
years  before."  The  next  morning,  the  day  being  clear,  and  no  change 
appearing  in  the  air,  the  nobleman  did  challenge  Thomas  of  his  saying, 
calling  him  an  impostor.  He  replied  that  noon  was  not  yet  passed. 
About  which  time  a  post  came  to  advertise  the  earl  of  the  king  his 
sudden  death.  "Then,"  said  Thomas,  "this  is  the  tempest  I  fore- 
told; and  so  it  shall  prove  to  Scotland."  Whence,  or  how,  he  had 
this  knowledge,  can  hardly  be  affirmed,  but  sure  it  is,  that  he  did 
divine  and  answer  truly  of  man}'  things  to  come. ' — Spottiswoode,  p. 
47.  Besides  that  notable  voucher.  Master  Hector  Boece,  the  good 
archbishop  might,  had  he  been  so  minded,  have  referred  to  Fordun 
for  the  prophecy  of  King  Alexander's  death.  That  historian  calls  our 
bard  'ruralis  ille  vates.' — Fordun,  lib.  x.,  cap.  40. 

"  What  Spottiswoode  calls  '  the  prophecies  extant  in  Scottish 
rhyme,'  are  the  metrical  productions  ascribed  to  the  seer  of  Ercil- 
doune, which,  with  many  other  compositions  of  the  same  nature, 
bearing  the  names  of  Bede,  Merlin,  Gildas,  and  other  approved 
soothsayers,  are  contained  in  one  sm^  volume,  published  by  Andro 
Hart,  at  Edinburgh,  1615.  Nisbet  the  herald  (who  claims  the  prophet 
of  Ercildoune  as  a  brother  professor  of  his  art,  founding  upon  the 
various  allegorical  and  emblematical  allusions  to  heraldry),  intimates 
the  existence  of  some  earHer  copy  of  his  prophecies  than  that  of  Andro 
Hart,  which,  however,  he  does  not  pretend  to  have  seen.  The  late 
excellent  Lord  Hailes  made  these  compositions  the  subject  of  a  disser- 
tation, published  in  his  Remarks  on  the  History  of  Scotland.  His 
attention  is  chiefly  directed  to  the  celebrated  prophecy  of  our  bard, 
mentioned  by  Bishop  Spottiswoode,  bearing  that  the  crowns  of 
England  and  Scotland  should  be  united  in  the  person  of  a  king, 
son  of  a  French  queen,  and  related  to  Bruce  in  the  ninth  degree. 
Lord  Hailes  plainly  proves,  that  this  prophecy  is  perverted  from  its 
original  purpose  in  order  to  apply  it  to  the  succession  of  James  VI. 
The  groundwork  of  the  forgery  is  to  be  found  in  the  projihecies  of 
Berlington,  contained  in  the  same  collection,  and  runs  thus : — 

'  Of  Bruce's  left  side  shall  spring  outa  leafe, 
As  neere  as  the  ninth  degree ; 
And  shall  be  fleemed  of  faire  Scotland, 
In  France  farre  beyond  the  sea. 


THOJIAS  THE  RHYMER.  383 


And  then  shall  come  again  ryding. 
With  eyes  that  many  men  may  see. 
At  Aberladie  he  shall  light, 
With  hempen  helteres  and  horse  of  tre. 


'However  it  happen  for  to  fall, 
The  lyon  shall  be  lord  of  all; 
The  I'rench  qnen  shall  bearre  the  sonne. 
Shall  rule  all  Britainne  to  the  sea; 
Ane  from  the  Bruce  s  blood  shal  come  also, 
As  neere  as  the  ninth  degree. 

•       «*«*«•••«•• 

'  Yet  shal  there  come  a  keene  knight  over  the  salt  sea, 
A  keene  man  of  courage  and  bold  man  of  armes ; 
A  duke's  son  dowbled  [i.  e.,  dubbed],  a  bom  man  in  France, 
That  shall  our  mirths  augment,  and  mend  all  our  harmes ; 
After  the  date  of  our  Lord  1513,  and  thrice  three  thereafter; 
■Which  shall  brooke  all  the  broad  isle  to  himself. 
Between  13  and  thrice  three  the  threip  shall  be  ended. 
The  Saxons  shall  never  recover  after.' 

"  There  cannot  be  any  doubt  that  this  prophecy  was  intended  to 
excite  the  confidence  of  the  Scottish  nation  in  the  Duke  of  Albany, 
Eegent  of  Scotland,  who  arrived  from  France  in  1515,  two  years  after 
the  death  of  James  IV.  in  the  fatal  field  of  Flodden.  The  regent  was 
descended  of  Bruce  by  the  left,  i.  e.,  by  the  female  side,  within  the 
ninth  degree.  His  mother  was  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Boulogne,  his 
father  banished  from  his  country — 'fleemit  of  fair  Scotland.'  His 
arrival  must  necessarily  be  by  sea,  and  his  landing  was  expected  at 
Aberlady,  in  the  Frith  of  Forth.  He  was  a  duke's  son,  dubbed 
knight;  and  nine  years,  from  1513,  are  allowed  him,  bj'  the  pretended 
prophet,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  salvation  of  his  country,  and 
the  exaltation  of  Scotland  over  her  sister  and  rival.  All  this  was  a 
pious  fraud,  to  excite  the  confidence  and  si)irit  of  the  country. 

"  The  prophecy  put  into  the  mouth  of  our  Thomas  the  Khymer,  as  it 
stands  in  Hart's  book,  refers  to  a  later  period.  The  narrator  meets 
the  Rhymer  upon  a  land  beside  a  lee,  who  shows  him  many  emble- 
matical visions,  described  in  no  mean  strain  of  poetry.  They  chiefly 
relate  to  the  fields  of  Flodden  and  Pinkie,  to  the  national  distress 
which  followed  these  defeats,  and  to  the  future  halcyon  days  which 
are  promised  to  Scotland.  One  quotation  or  two  will  be  sufiicient 
to  establish  this  fully  : — 

'  Our  Scottish  king  sal  come  ful  keene. 
The  red  lyon  beareth  he ; 
A  feddered  arrow  sharp,  I  ween. 
Shall  make  him  winke  and  warre  to  see. 
Out  of  the  field  he  shall  bo  led, 
When  he  is  bludie  and  woe  for  blood; 
Yet  to  his  men  shall  he  say, 
"  For  God's  love  turn  you  againe, 
And  give  yon  Sutherne  folk  a  frey! 
Why  should  I  lose  the  right  is  mine? 
My  date  is  not  to  die  this  day." ' 

"Who  can-  doubt,  for  a  moment,  that  this  refers  to  the  battle  of 
Flodden,  and  to  the  popular  reports  concerning  the  doubtful  fate  of 
James  IV.  ?    Allusion  is  immediately  afterwards  made  to  the  death 


381  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


of  George  Douglas,  heir-apparent  of  Angus,  who  fought  and  fell  with 
his  sovereign : — 

'  The  stflmes  three  that  day  shall  die, 
That  bears  the  harte  in  silver  sheen.' 

The  well-known  arms  of  the  Douglas  family  are  the  heart  and  three 
stars.  In  another  place,  the  battle  of  Pinkie  is  expressly  mentioned 
by  name  : — 

'At  Pinken  Clueh  there  shall  be  spilt 

Much  gentle  blood  that  day; 
There  shall  the  bear  lose  the  guilt, 

And  the  eagill  bear  it  away.' 

"  To  the  end  of  aU  this  allegorical  and  mystical  rhapsody,  is 
interpolated,  in  the  later  edition  by  Andro  Hart,  a  new  edition  of 
Berhngton's  verses,  before  quoted,  altered  and  manufactured,  so  as  to 
bear  reference  to  the  accession  of  James  VI.,  which  had  just  then 
taken  place.  The  insertion  is  made  with  a  peculiar  degree  of 
awkwardness,  betwixt  a  question,  put  by  the  narrator,  concerning 
the  name  and  abode  of  the  person  who  showed  him  these  strange 
matters,  and  the  answer  of  the  prophet  to  that  question  : — 

'  Then  to  the  Beirne  could  I  say. 

Where  dwells  thou,  or  in  what  countrie? 
[Or  who  shall  rule  the  isle  of  Britane, 

From  the  north  to  the  south  sey? 
A  French  queene  shall  bear  the  sonne. 

Shall  rule  all  Britaine  to  the  sea; 
Which  of  the  Brace's  blood  shall  come, 

As  neere  as  the  nint  degree : 
I  frained  fast  what  was  his  name. 

Where  that  he  came,  from  what  countrie.] 
In  Erslingtoun  I  dwell  at  hame, 

Thomas  Eymour  men  cals  me.' 

"  There  is  surely  no  one,  who  will  not  conclude  with  Lord  Hailes, 
that  the  eight  lines,  inclosed  in  brackets,  are  a  clumsy  interpolation, 
borrowed  from  Berlington,  with  such  alterations  as  might  render  the 
supposed  prophecy  applicable  to  the  union  of  the  crowns. 

"  While  we  are  on  this  subject,  it  may  be  proper  briefly  to  notice 
the  scope  of  some  of  the  other  x^redictions  in  Hart's  collection.  As 
the  prophecy  of  Berlington  was  intended  to  raise  the  spirits  of  the 
nation,  during  the  regency  of  Albany,  so  those  of  Sybilla  and  Eltraine 
refer  to  that  of  the  Earl  of  Arran,  afterwards  Duke  of  Chatelherault, 
during  the  minority  of  Mary,  a  period  of  similar  calamity.  This  is 
obvious  from  the  following  verses  ; — 

'  Take  a  thousand  in  calculation, 
And  the  longest  of  the  lyon. 
Four  crescents  under  one  crowne. 
With  Saint  Andrew's  croce  thrise, 
Then  threescore  and  thris  three: 
Take  tent  to  Merling  truely. 
Then  shall  the  wars  ended  be. 
And  never  again  rise. 
In  that  yere  there  shall  a  king, 
A  duke,  and  no  crowned  king : 
Becaus  the  prince  shall  be  yong, 
And  tender  of  yeares.' 


■raOMAS  THE   RHYMER.  885 


"The  date,  above  hinted  at,  seems  to  be  1549,  when  the  Scottish 
Regent,  by  means  of  some  succours  derived  from  France,  was  en- 
deavouring to  repair  the  consequences  of  the  fatal  battle  of  Pinkie. 
Allusion  is  made  to  the  supply  given  to  the  '  Moldwarte  [England] 
by  the  fained  hart '  (thp  Earl  of  Angus).  The  regent  is  described  by 
his  bearing  the  antelope ;  large  supplies  are  promised  from  France, 
and  complete  conquest  predicted  to  Scotland  and  her  allies.  Thus 
was  the  same  hackneyed  stratagem  repeated  whenever  the  interest 
of  the  rulers  appeared  to  stand  in  need  of  it.  The  regent  was  not, 
indeed,  till  after  this  period,  created  Duke  of  Chatelherault ;  but 
that  honour  was  the  object  of  his  hopes  and  expectations. 

"  The  name  of  our  renowned  soothsayer  is  liberally  used  as  an 
authority  throughout  all  the  prophecies  published  by  Andro  Hart. 
Besides  those  expressly  put  in  his  name,  Gildas,  another  assumed 
personage,  is  supposed  to  derive  his  knowledge  from  him ;  for  he 
concludes  thus : — 

'  True  Thomas  me  told  in  a  troublesome  time, 
In  a  harvest  mom  at  Eldoun  hills.' — The  Prophecy  of  Gildas. 

"  In  the  prophecy  of  Berlington,  already  quoted,  we  are  told — 

'  Marvellous  Merlin,  that  many  men  of  tells. 
And  Thomas's  sayings  comes  all  at  once.' 

"  While  1  am  upon  the  subject  of  these  prophecies,  may  I  be  per- 
mitted to  call  the  attention  of  antiquaries  to  Merdwynn  Wyllt,  or 
Merlin  the  Wild,  in  whose  name,  and  by  no  means  in  that  of  Ambrose 
Merlin,  the  friend  of  Arthur,  the  Scottish  prophecies  are  issued? 
That  this  personage  resided  at  DrummeMer,  and  roamed,  like  a 
second  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  woods  of  Tweeddale,  in  remorse  for  the 
death  of  his  nephew,  we  learn  from  Fordun.  In  the  Scoti-Chronlcon, 
lib.  iii.,  cap.  31,  is  an  account  of  an  interview  betwixt  St.  Kentigern 
and  Merlin,  then  in  this  distracted  and  miserable  state.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  called  Lailoken,  from  his  mode  of  life.  On  being 
commanded  by  the  saint  to  give  an  account  of  himself,  he  says,  that 
the  penance  which  he  performs  was  imposed  on  him  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  during  a  bloody  contest  betwixt  Lidel  and  Carwanolow,  of 
which  battle  he  had  been  the  cause.  According  to  his  own  prediction, 
he  perished  at  once  by  wood,  earth,  and  water ;  for,  being  pursued 
with  stones  by  the  rustics,  he  fell  from  a  rock  into  the  river  Tweed, 
and  was  transfixed  by  a  sharp  stake,  fixed  there  for  the  purpose  of 
extending  a  fishing-net : — 

'  Sude  perfossus,  lapide  percussus,  et  unda. 
Heec  tria  Merlinum  fertur  inire  necem. 
Sicque  ruit,  mersnsque  fuit  lignoque  prehensus, 
Et  fecit  vatem  per  tema  pericula  verum.' 

"But  in  a  metrical  history  of  Merita  of  Caledonia,  compiled  by 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  from  the  traditions  of  the  Welsh  bards,  this 
mode  of  death  is  attributed  to  a  page  whom  Merlin's  sister,  desirous 
to  convict  the  prophet  of  falsehood,  because  he  had  betrayed  her 
intrigues,  introduced  to  him,  under  three  various  disguises,  inquiring 
each  time  in  what  manner  the  person  should  die.  To  the  first 
demand  Merlin  answered,  the  party  should  perish  by  a  fall  from  a  rock ; 
to  the  second,  that  he  should  die  by  a  tree  j  and  to  the  third,  that  he 

2C 


386  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


should  be  drowned.  The  youth  perished  while  hunting,  in  the  mode 
imputed  by  Fordun  to  Merlin  himself. 

"Fordun,  contrary  to  the  French  authorities,  confounds  this  per- 
son with  the  Merlin  of  Arthur ;  but  concludes  by  informing  us,  that 
many  believed  him  to  be  a  different  person.  The  grave  of  Merlin  is 
pointed  out  at  Drummelzier,  in  Tweeddale,  beneath  an  aged  thorn- 
tree.  On  the  east  side  of  the  churchyard,  the  brook,  called  Pausayl, 
falls  into  the  Tweed ;  and  the  following  prophecy  is  said  to  have  been 
current  concerning  their  union : — 

'  When  Tweed  and  Pausayl  join  at  Merlin's  grave, 
Scotland  and  England  shall  one  monarch  have.' 

On  the  day  of  the  coronation  of  James  VI.,  the  Tweed  accord- 
ingly overflowed,  and  joined  the  Pausayl  at  the  prophet's  grave. — 
Pennycuick's  History  of  Tweeddale,  p.  26.  These  circumstances 
would  seem  to  infer  a  communication  betwixt  the  south-west  of 
Scotland  and  Wales,  of  a  nature  peculiarly  intimate ;  for  I  presume 
that  Merlin  would  retain  sense  enough  to  choose  for  the  scene  of  his 
wanderings  a  country  having  a  language  and  manners  similar  to  his  own. 
"  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  memory  of  Merlin  Sylvester,  or  the  Wild, 
was  fresh  among  the  Scots  during  the  reign  of  James  V.  Waldhave,* 
under  whose  name  a  set  of  prophecies  was  published,  describes  him- 
self as  lying  upon  Lomond  Law ;  he  hears  a  voice,  which  bids  him 
stand  to  his  defence ;  he  looks  around,  and  beholds  a  flock  of  hares 
and  foxes  pursued  over  the  mountain  by  a  savage  figure,  to  whom  he 
can  hardly  give  the  name  of  a  man.  At  the  sight  of  Waldhave,  the 
apparition  leaves  the  objects  of  his  pursuit,  and  assaults  him  with  a 
club.  Waldhave  defends  himself  with  his  sword,  throws  the  savage 
to  the  earth,  and  refuses  to  let  him  arise  till  he  swear,  by  the  law 
and  lead  he  lives  upon,  'to  do  him  no  harm.'  This  done,  he  permits 
him  to  arise,  and  marvels  at  his  strange  appearance : — 

'He  was  formed  like  a  freike  [man]  all  his  four  quarters; 
And  then  his  chin  and  his  face  haired  so  thick, 
With  haire  growing  so  grime,  fearful  to  see.' 

He  answers  briefly  to  Waldhave' s  inquiry  concerning  his  name  and 
nature,  that  he  'drees  his  weird,'  i.e.,  does  penance  in  that  wood; 
and,  having  hinted  that  questions  as  to  his  own  state  are  offensive,  he 
pours  forth  an  obscure  rhapsody  concerning  futurity,  and  concludes, — 

'Go  musing  upon  Merlin  if  thou  wilt : 
For  I  mean  no  more,  man,  at  this  time.' 

"  This  is  exactly  similar  to  the  meeting  betwixt  Merlin  and  Ken- 
tigern  in  Fordun.  These  prophecies  of  Merlin  seem  to  have  been  in 
request  in  the  minority  of  James  V. ;  for,  among  the  amusements  with 
which  Sir  David  Lindsay  diverted  that  prince  during  his  infancy,  are, 

'  The  prophecies  of  Rymer,  Bede,  and  Merlin.' 

—Sir  David  Lindsay's  Epistle  to  the  King. 

And  we  find,  in  Waldhave,  at  least  one  allusion  to  the  very  ancient 
prophecy,  addressed  to  the  Countess  of  Dunbar: — 

'  This  is  a  true  token  that  Thomas  of  tells, 
When  a  ladde  with  a  ladye  shall  go  over  the  fields.' 

■•  "  I  do  not  know  whether  the  person  here  meant  be  Waldhave,  an  abbot  of  Mel- 
rose, who  died,  in  the  odour  of  sanctity,  about  1160."— S. 


THOMAS  THE  RHTMER.  387 


The  origioal  stands  thus  : — 

'  When  laddes  weddeth  love  dies.' 

"  Another  prophecy  of  Merhn  seems  to  have  been  current  about  the 
time  of  the  Regent  Morton's  execution.  When  that  nobleman  was 
committed  to  the  charge  of  his  accuser,  Captain  James  Stewart,  newly 
created  Earl  of  An-an,  to  be  conducted  to  his  trial  at  Edinburgh, 
Spottiswoode  says,  that  he  asked,  '  "  Who  was  Earl  of  Arran?  "  and 
being  answered  that  Captain  James  was  the  man,  after  a  short  pause, 
he  said,  "  And  is  it  so  ?  I  know  then  what  I  may  look  for !  "  mean- 
ing, as  was  thought,  that  the  old  prophecy  of  the  "Falling  of  the 
heart  •  by  the  mouth  of  Arran,"  should  then  be  fulfilled.  Whether 
this  was  his  mind  or  not,  it  is  not  known ;  but  some  spared  not,  at  the 
time  when  the  Hamiltons  were  banished,  in  which  business  he  was 
held  too  earnest,  to  say  that  he  stood  in  fear  of  that  prediction,  and 
went  that  course  only  to  disappoint  it.  But  if  so  it  was,  he  did  find 
himself  now  deluded;  for  he  fell  by  the  mouth  of  another  Arran  than 
he  imagined.' — Spottisiooode,  313.  The  fatal  words  alluded  to  seem 
to  be  these,  in  the  prophecy  of  Merlin  : — 

'  In  the  mouthe  of  Arrane  a  selcouth  shall  fall, 
Two  bloodie  hearts  shall  be  taken  with  a  false  traine, 
And  derfly  dung  down  without  any  dome.' 

"  To  return  from  these  desultory  remarks,  into  which  I  have  been 
led  by  the  celebrated  name  of  Merlin,  the  style  of  all  these  prophecies, 
pubUshed  by  Hart,  is  very  much  the  same.  The  measure  is  allitera- 
tive, and  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  Pierce  Ploioman's  Visions ;  a 
circumstance  which  might  entitle  us  to  ascribe  to  some  of  them  an 
earlier  date  than  the  reign  of  James  V.,  did  we  not  know  that  Sir 
GaUoran  of  Galloway  and  Gawaine  and  Gollograss,  two  romances 
rendered  almost  unintelhgible  by  the  extremity  of  affected  allitera- 
tion, are  perhaps  not  prior  to  that  period.  Indeed,  although  we  may 
allow,  that,  during  much  earlier  times,  prophecies,  under  the  names  of 
those  celebrated  soothsayers,  have  been  current  in  Scotland,  yet 
those  published  by  Hart  have  obviously  been  so  often  vamped  and 
revamped,  to  serve  the  political  purposes  of  different  periods,  that  it 
may  be  shrewdly  suspected,  that,  as  in  the  case  of  Sir  John  Cutler's 
transmigrated  stockings,  very  little  of  the  original  materials  now 
remains,  I  cannot  refrain  from  indulging  my  readers  with  the 
publisher's  title  to  the  last  prophecy,  as  it  contains  certain  curious 
information  concerning  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  who  is  identified  with 
the  Cumasan  Sibyl :  '  Here  followeth  a  prophecie  pronounced  by  a 
noble  queene  and  matron,  called  Sybilla,  Regina  Austri,  that  came 
to  Solomon.  Through  the  which  she  compiled  four  bookes,  at  the 
instance  of  the  said  King  Sol,  and  others  divers ;  and  the  fourth  book 
was  directed  to  a  noble  king,  called  Baldwine,  king  of  the  broad  isle 
of  Britain ;  in  the  which  she  maketh  mention  of  two  noble  princes 
and  emperours,  the  which  is  called  Leoues.  How  these  two  shall 
subdue  and  overcome  all  earthhe  princes  to  their  diademe  and  crowne, 
and  also  be  glorified  and  crowned  in  the  heaven  among  saints.  The 
first  of  these  two  is  Coustantinus  Magnus ;  that  was  Leprosus,  the 
son  of  Saint  Helena,  that  found  the  croce.    The  second  is  the  sixt  king 

*  "  The  heart  was  the  cognizance  of  Morton."— S. 


388  BALLAD   MINSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


of  the  name  of  Steward  of  Scotland,  the  which  is  our  most  noble 
king.'  With  such  editors  and  commentators,  what  wonder  that  the 
text  became  unintelligible,  even  beyond  the  usual  oracular  obscurity 
of  prediction  ? 

"If  there  still  remains,  therefore,  among  these  predictions,  any 
verses  having  a  claim  to  real  antiquity,  it  seems  now  impossible  to 
discover  them  from  those  which  are  comparatively  modem.  Never- 
theless, as  there  are  to  be  found,  in  these  compositions,  some  un- 
commonly wild  and  masculine  expressions,  the  editor  has  been 
induced  to  throw  a  few  passages  together,  into  the  sort  of  ballad 
to  which  this  disquisition  is  prefixed.  It  would,  indeed,  have  been 
no  difficult  matter  for  him,  by  a  judicious  selection,  to  have  excited, 
in  favour  of  Thomas  of  Ercildoune,  a  share  of  the  admiration  bestowed 
by  suadry  wise  persons  upon  Mass  Eobert  Fleming.*  For  example : — 

'But  then  the  lilye  shall  be  lonsed  when  they  least  think; 
Then  clear  king's  blood  shal  quake  for  fear  of  death; 
For  churls  shal  chop  ofi  heads  of  their  chief  beims, 
Aad  carfe  of  the  crowns  that  Christ  hath  appointed. 


Thereafter,  on  every  side,  sorrow  shall  arise; 
The  barges  of  clear  barons  down  shal  be  sunken; 
Seculars  shal  sit  in  spiritual  seats, 
Occupying  offices  anointed  as  they  were.' 

"  Taking  the  lily  for  the  emblem  of  France,  can  there  be  a  more 
plain  prophecy  of  the  murder  of  her  monarch,  the  destruction  of  her 
nobility,  and  the  desolation  of  her  hierarchy? 

"  But,  without  looking  further  into  the  signs  of  the  times,  the 
editor,  though  the  least  of  all  the  prophets,  cannot  help  thinking, 
that  every  true  Briton  will  approve  of  his  application  of  the  last 
prophecy  quoted  in  the  ballad. 

"  Hart's  collections  of  prophecies  were  frequently  reprinted  during 
the  last  century,  probably  to  favour  the  pretensions  of  the  unfortunate 
family  of  Stuart.  For  the  prophetic  renown  of  Gildas  and  Bede,  see 
Fordun,  lib.  iii. 

"  Before  leaving  the  subject  of  Thomas's  predictions,  it  may  be 
noticed,  that  sundry  rhymes,  passing  for  his  prophetic  effusions,  are 
still  current  among  the  vulgar  Thus,  he  is  said  to  have  prophesied 
of  the  very  ancient  family  of  Haig  of  Bemerside  : — 

'  Betide,  betide,  whate'er  betide, 
Haig  shall  be  Haig  of  Bemerside.' 

"The  grandfather  of  the  present  proprietor  of  Bemerside  had 
twelve  daughters,  before  bis  lady  brought  him  a  male  heir.  The 
common  people  trembled  for  the  credit  of  their  favourite  soothsayer. 
The  late  Mr.  Haig  was  at  length  born,  and  their  belief  in  the  pro- 
phecy confirmed  beyond  a,  shadow  of  doubt. 

"Another  memorable  prophecy  bore  that  the  Old  Kirk  at  Kelso, 
constructed  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  abbey,  should  '  fall  when  at  the 
fullest.'     At  a  very  crowded  sermon,  about  thirty  years  ago,  a  piece 

•  Author  of  Dircourses  on  the  Rise  and  FaU  of  Papacy,  London,  1701.  The  Revolu- 
tions of  1789,  1830,  and  1818,  attracted  considerable  attention  to  the  work  named. 


TUOIIAS  THE  RHYMER.  389 


of  lime  fell  from  the  roof  of  the  church.  The  alarm,  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  words  of  the  seer,  became  universal,  and  happy  were  they 
who  were  nearest  the  door  of  the  predestined  edifice.  The  church 
was  in  consequence  deserted,  and  has  never  since  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  tumbling  upon  a  full  congregation.  I  hope,  for  the  sake 
of  a  beautiful  specimen  of  Saxo-Gothic  architecture,  that  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  prophecy  is  far  distant. 

"  Another  prediction,  ascribed  to  the  Rhymer,  seems  to  have  been 
founded  on  that  sort  of  insight  into  futurity,  possessed  by  most  men 
of  a  sound  and  combining  judgment.     It  runs  thus : — 

'At  Eldon  tree  if  you  shall  be, 
A  brigg  ower  Tweed  you  there  may  see. 

*'  The  spot  in  question  commands  an  extensive  prospect  of  the 
course  of  the  river ;  and  it  was  easy  to  foresee,  that  when  the  country 
should  become  in  the  least  degree  improved,  a  bridge  would  be  some- 
where thrown  over  the  stream.  In  fact,  you  now  see  no  less  than 
three  bridges  from  that  elevated  situation. 

'*  Corspatrick  (Comes  Patrick),  Earl  of  March,  but  more  commonly 
taking  his  title  from  his  castle  of  Dunbar,  acted  a  noted  part  during 
the  wars  of  Edward  I.  in  Scotland.  As  Thomas  of  Ercildoune  is  said 
to  have  delivered  to  him  his  famous  prophecy  of  King  Alexander's 
death,  the  editor  has  chosen  to  introduce  him  into  the  following 
ballad.  All  the  prophetic  verses  are  selected  from  Hart's  publica- 
tion."— Sir  Walter  Scott.     The  notes  to  the  text  are  also  his. 

1  When  seven  years  were  come  and  gane, 

The  sun  blink'd  fair  on  pool  and  stream; 
And  Thomas  lay  on  Huntlie  bank, 
Like  one  awaken'd  from  a  dream. 

2  He  heard  the  trampling  of  a  steed. 

He  saw  the  flash  of  armour  flee, 
And  he  beheld  a  gallant  knight, 

Come  riding  down  by  the  Eildon  tree. 

3  He  was  a  stalwart  knight,  and  strong, 

Of  giant  make  he  'pear'd  to  be ; 
He  stirr'd  his  horse,  as  he  were  wode, 
With  gilded  spurs  of  fashion  free. 

4  Says — "  Well  met,  well  met,  True  Thomas  I 

Some  uncouth  ferlies  show  to  me." 
Says — "  Christ  thee  save,  Corspatrick  brave ! 
Thrice  welcome,  good  Dunbar,  to  me  I 

5  "  Light  down,  light  down,  Corspatrick  brave  ! 

And  I  will  show  thee  curses  three, 
Shall  gar  fair  Scotland  greet  and  grane, 
And  change  the  green  to  the  black  liverie. 


390  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


6  "A  storm  shall  roar  this  very  hour, 

From  Ross's  hills  to  Sol  way  sea." 
"Ye  lied,  ye  lied,  ye  warlock  hoar! 
For  the  sun  shines  sweet  on  fauld  and  lea." 

7  He  put  his  hand  on  the  Earlie's  head ; 

He  show'd  him  a  rock  beside  the  sea. 
Where  a  king  lay  stiff  beneath  his  steed,* 
And  steel-dight  nobles  wiped  their  e'e. 

8  "  The  neist  curse  lights  on  Branxton  hills  : 

By  Flodden's  high  and  heathery  side 
Shall  wave  a  banner  red  as  bluid, 
And  chieftains  throng  with  meikle  pride. 

9  "A  Scottish  king  shall  come  full  keen, 

The  ruddy  lion  beareth  he ; 
A  feather'd  arrow  sharp,  I  ween, 

Shall  make  him  wink  and  warre  to  see. 

10  "  When  he  is  bloody,  and  all  to  bledde, 

Thus  to  his  men  he  still  shall  say, — 
'  For  God's  sake,  turn  ye  back  again, 

And  give  yon  Southern  folk  a  fray  ! 
Why  should  I  lose  the  right  is  mine  ? 

My  doom  is  not  to  die  this  day.'  f 

11  "Yet  turn  ye  to  the  eastern  hand. 

And  woe  and  wonder  ye  shall  see ; 
How  forty  thousand  spearmen  stand, 
Where  yon  rank  river  meets  the  sea. 

12  "  There  shall  the  lion  lose  the  gylte. 

And  the  libbards  bear  it  clean  away ; 
At  Pinkyn  Clench  there  shall  be  spilt 
Much  gentil  bluid  that  day." 

13  "  Enough,  enough  of  curse  and  ban ; 

Some  blessings  show  thou  now  to  me, 
Or,  by  the  faith  of  my  body,"  Corspatrick  said, 
"Ye  shall  rue  the  day  ye  e'er  saw  me !  " 

•  "  King  Alexander,  killed  (March  16, 1285-6)  by  falling  over  a  cliff,  near  Kinghorn, 
in  Fife,  and  opposite  Edinburgh." 

t  "  The  uncertainty  which  long  prevailed  in  Scotland  concerning  the  fato  of  Jama 
IV.  is  well  known.' 


THOMAS  OF  EBCILDOUNE.  391 


14  "  The  first  of  blessings  I  shall  thee  show, 

Is  by  a  burn,  that 's  call'd  of  bread  ;  * 
Where  Saxon  men  shall  tine  the  bow, 
And  find  their  arrows  lack  the  head. 

15  "  Beside  that  brigg,  out  ower  that  burn, 

Where 'the  water  bickereth  bright  and  sheen, 
Shall  many  a  falling  courser  spurn, 
And  knights  shall  die  in  battle  keen. 

16  "  Beside  a  headless  cross  of  stone, 

The  libbards  there  shall  lose  the  gree ; 
The  raven  shall  come,  the  erne  shall  go. 

And  drink  the  Saxon  bluid  sae  free. 
The  cross  of  stone  they  shall  not  know, 

So  thick  the  corses  there  shall  be." 

17  "  But  tell  me  now,"  said  brave  Dunbar, 

"  True  Thomas,  tell  now  unto  me, 
What  man  shall  rule  the  isle  Britain, 

Even  from  the  north  to  the  southern  sea  ?  " 

18  "A  French  queen  shall  bear  the  son, 

Shall  rule  all  Britain  to  the  sea ; 

He  of  the  Bruce's  blood  shall  come. 

As  near  as  in  the  ninth  degree. 

19  "  The  waters  worship  shall  his  race. 

Likewise  the  waves  of  the  farthest  sea ; 
For  they  shall  ride  over  ocean  wide, 
With  hempen  bridles  and  horse  of  tree." 


THOMAS  OF  ERCILDOUNE. 

The  following  remarkable  tale  is  preserved  iu  three  or  more  ancient 
manuscripts,  all  of  them  more  or  less  mutilated.  The  verbal  differ- 
ences between  the  copies  are  numerous  but  unimportant.  The  three 
principal  MS.  copies  are  deposited  in  the  libraries,  and  have  been 
printed  respectively  in  the  works  mentioned  under: — 

I.  The  Cotton  MS.  copy,  in  the  British  Museum,  first  printed 

in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  iv.,  p.  122. 

^^ 
*  "One  of  Thomae's  rhymes,  preserved  by  tradition,  runs  thus : — 

•  The  bum  of  breid 
Sliall  run  few  reid.' 

Bannockbnm  is  the  brook  here  meant    The  Scots  give  the  name  of  'bannock'  to 
a  thick  round  cake  of  unleavened  bread." 


392  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

II.  The  Cambridge  University  Library  MS.  copy,  first  printed 
in  Mr.  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  &c.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  11,  as 
"carefully  deciphered,"  says  Mr.  Laing,  "from  a  volume 

of  no  ordinary  curiosity written  in  a  very 

illegible  hand,  about  the  middle  of  the  15th  century. " 

III.  The  Lincoln  Cathedral  Library  MS.  copy,  first  printed  by 
Mr.  David  Laing,  in  his  Select  Bemains  of  the  Ancient 
Popular  Poetry  of  Scotland.  From  "  a  volume  compiled 
at  a  still  earlier  period  "  than  the  Cambridge  MS. 

"In  the  Cambridge  MS.  none  of  the  pieces  have  any  titles;  the 
Cotton  copy  is  prefaced  by  Incipit  prophesia  Thome  de  Erseldoun; 
and  the  Lincoln  MS.  is  entitled  Thomas  off  Erseldoune,  and  is  in- 
troduced in  the  following  manner : — 

'  Lystnys,  lordsTigs,  bothe  grete  and  small. 

And  takis  gude  tente  what  I  will  say: 
I  sail  yow  telle  als  trewe  a  tale, 
Als  euer  was  herde  by  nyghte  or  daye. 

•And  the  maste  memelle  fforowttyn  naye, 

That  euer  was  herde  byfore  or  syen, 
And  therefore  prlstly  I  yow  praye, 

That  ye  will  of  youre  talkyng  blyn. 

'It  es  an  harde  thynge  for  to  save, 

Of  doghety  dedis  that  base  been  done; 
Of  felle  feghtyngs  and  batells  sere; 

And  how  that  knyghtis  basse  wonne  thair  schona 

•  But  Ihesn  Christ,  that  syttis  in  trone. 

Safe  Inglysche  bothe  ferre  and  nere; 
And  I  sail  telle  yow  tyte  and  sone, 
Of  batells  done  sythen  many  a  yere; 

'  And  of  batells  that  done  sail  bee ; 

In  what  place,  and  how  and  whare; 
And  wha  shall  have  the  heghere  gree ; 

And  whethir  partye  sail  hafe  the  werro. 

'  Wha  sail  take  the  flyghte  and  flee ; 

And  wha  sail  dye  and  byleue  thare: 
But  Ihesu  Christ,  that  dyed  on  tre, 

Saae  Inglysche  men  whare  so  they  fare.' 

"From  the  prayer  with  which  this  exordium  concludes,  it  may 
fairly  be  inferred  that  the  writer  was  an  Englishman  ;  and  the  pro- 
phetic part  of  the  piece  has  been  evidently  intended  to  be  used  as 
an  engine  against  the  Scots.  In  the  introduction  to  the  prophecies, 
however,  there  is  so  much  more  fancy  and  elegance  than  in  the 
prophecies  themselves,  that  they  can  hardly  be  supposed  to  be  the 
composition  of  the  same  person.  Indeed,  the  internal  evidence  to 
the  contrary  almost  amounts  to  a  proof  that  they  are  not,  and  that 
the  romance  itself  was  of  Scotish  origin  ;  although  no  imdubitably 
Scotish  copy,  so  far  as  the  editor  knows,  is  now  in  existence.  He  has 
been  told,  but  upon  what  authority  he  knows  not,  that  there  was  a 
copy  in  the  late  king's  *  library  at  Paris,  but  uncertain  of  what 
country.  ...  It  is  remarkable,  that  in  all  the  three  copies  now 
before  him,  the  poet  begins  the  story  in  the  Jirst  person,  and  seems 

•  Louis  XVI.,  victim  of  the  first  French  revolution. 


THOMAS  OF  EECILDOUNE.  393 


disposed  to  tell  the  incidents,  as  if  they  had  really  happened  to  himself. 
(See  stanzas  1  to  10. )  And  although  he  afterwards,  awkwardly  and  un- 
naturally enough,  speaks  of  Thomas  as  a  third  person,  yet  even  then 
he  seems  to  insinuate,  that  the  story,  which  he  is  garbling,  was  told 
by  another  before  him.  (See  stanza  14.)  If  he  assumes  the  mask 
with  a  bad  grace  here,  he  shows  still  less  address  when  he  drops  it 
again  at  stanza  51.    . 

"  Would  it  not  be  pardonable,  from  such  instances  as  these,  to 
suppose  it  at  least  probable,  that  Thomas  Rymour  was  really  the 
original  author  of  this  romance  ;  and  that  in  order  to  give  a  sanction 
to  his  predictions,  which  seem  all  to  have  been  calculated  in  one  way 
or  other  for  the  service  of  his  country,  he  pretended  to  an  intercourse 
with  the  Queen  of  Elfland,  as  Numa  Pompilius  did  with  the  nymjjh 
Egeria?  Such  an  intercourse,  in  the  days  of  True  Thomas,  was 
accounted  neither  unnatural  nor  uncommon. 

"  As  both  the  English  and  the  Scots  availed  themselves  of  the 
credit  which  his  prophecies  had  obtained,  in  falsifying  them,  to  serve 
their  purposes  against  each  other,  it  is  now  impossible  to  ascertain 
what  the  real  prophecies  of  Thomas  Kymour  were,  if  ever  he  pub- 
lished any  such.  But  as  it  would  have  been  a  measure  of  good  policy 
to  preserve  as  entire  as  possible  the  original  introduction,  from  which 
the  predictions  were  to  derive  their  authority,  it  may  be  presumed 
that  fewer  liberties  were  taken  with  it ;  that,  notwithstanding  the 
mutilated  state  in  which  we  have  found  it,  the  general  symmetry, 
and  many  of  the  original  stamina,  remain ;  and  that  it  has  not  suffered 
more  from  the  license  assumed  by  transcribers  and  reciters  than 
other  romances  of  that  age  have  done. 

"'As  to  the  romance  itself,'  says  Scott,  *it  will  afford  great 
amusement  to  those  who  would  study  the  nature  of  traditional 
poetry,  and  the  changes  effected  by  oral  tradition,  to  compare  this 
ancient  romance  with  the  foregoing  (traditional)  ballad.  The  same 
incidents  are  narrated,  even  the  expression  is  often  the  same ;  yet 
the  poems  are  as  different  in  appearance  as  if  the  older  tale  had  been 
regularly  and  systematically  modernized  by  a  poet  of  the  present 
day.'" — Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii,  pp.  3-7. 

Both  Mr.  Jamieson  and  Mr.  David  Laing  print  their  respective 
versions  of  this  ancient  poem  entire. 

But  in  the  text  which  follows,  and  which  has  been  collated  from 
all  three  copies,  only  the  introductory  portion,  or  First  Fytte,  is  given, 
with  the  addition  of  stanzas  59,  60,  and  61,  from  the  commencement 
of  the  Second  Fytte;  and  of  62,  63,  and  64,  from  the  close  of  the  Third 
FyUe. 

The  orthography  has  been  modernized  in  the  case  of  such  words  as 
are  still  in  use  either  in  England  or  Scotland,  but  the  veritable  words 
of  the  originals  are  retained- 

1     As  I  me  went  this  Andrew's  day, 

Fast  on  my  way,  making  my  moan, 
In  a  merry  morning  of  May, 

By  Huntly's  banks  myself  alone, 


394  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  I  heard  the  jay  and  the  throstle, 

The  mavis  menyed"  in  her  song, 
The  wodewale  beryd*  as  a  bell, 
That  all  the  wood  about  me  rung. 

3  Alone  in  longing  thus  as  I  lay, 

Underneath  a  seemly  tree, 
Saw  I  where  a  ladye  gay 

Came  riding  o'er  a  lonely  lea. 

4  If  I  shou'd  sit  till  Domisday, 

All  with  my  tongue  to  know  and  see, 
Certainly  all  her  array 
It  shall  never  be  'scryed"  for  me. 

5  Her  palfrey  was  a  dapple  gray, 

Like  it  saw  I  never  none ; 
As  does  the  sun  on  summer's  day, 
That  fair  ladye  herself  she  shone. 

6  Her  saddle  it  was  of  royal  bone,  ^ 

Full  seemly  was  that  sight  to  see! 
Stiffly  set  with  precious  stone, 
Compass'd  about  with  cramoisie.  • 

7  Stones  of  orience,  great  plentie. 

Her  hair  about  her  head  it  hung : 
She  rode  over  that  lonely-''  lea, 
Awhile  she  blew,  awhile  she  sung. 

8  Her  girths  of  noble  silk  they  were, 

The  buckles  they  were  of  beryl  stone ; 
Her  stirrups  were  of  crystal  clear, 
And  all  with  pearls  o'er  bedone. 

9  Her  patrel  was  of  irale  fine, " 

Her  crupper  was  of  orfar^,  * 
Her  bridle  was  of  gold  [sae]  fine; 
On  every  side  [there]  hung  bells  three. 

"■  "  The  mavis  menyed: "  the  thrush  lamented. 
*  "The  wodewale  beryd: "  the  woodpecker  made  a  noise. 
•-' '"Scryed:"  described. 
<i  "  Eoyal  bone :  "  pure  ivory. 
"  "Crapotee,"  Lincoln  MS.;  "Crapste,"  Cotton  MS. 
/  "  Femyle  "  (ferny  lee),  Cotton  MS. 

9  "  Her  pati-el,  &c. : "  ». «.,  the  plate  protecting  the  chest  of  her  steed  was  of  steel  or 
iion  fine. 
A  "Orfar^: "  embroidery. 


THOMAS  OF  ERCILDOUNE.  395 

10  She  led  seven  greyhounds  in  a  leash, 

And  seven  raches"  by  her  feet  ran. 
To  speak  with  her  I  won'd  not  pi'ess; 
Her  bree  was  as  white  as  any  swan. 

11  She  bare  a  horn  about  her  halse, 

And  uhder  her  girdle  many  a  flonne.  * 
Forsooth,  lordlings,  as  I  you  tell, 
Thus  was  this  ladye  fair  bedone. 

12  Thomas  lay  and  saw  that  sight, 

Underneath  a  seemly  tree; 
He  said — "  Yon  is  Mary  of  might, 
That  bare  the  child  that  died  for  me. 

13  "  But  I  speak  with  that  ladye  bright, 

I  hope  my  heart  will  burst  in  three; 
But  I  will  go  with  all  my  might, 
Her  for  to  meet  at  Eildon  tree ! " 

14  Thomas  rathely  "  up  he  raise, 

And  ran  over  that  mountain  hie ; 
And  if  it  be  sooth,  as  the  story  says. 
He  her  met  at  the  Eildon  tree. 

15  He  kneelSd  down  upon  his  knee, 

Underneath  the  greenwood  spray ; 
And  said — "  Lovely  ladye,  rew"*  on  me. 
Queen  of  heaven,  as  thou  well  may!" 

16  Then  said  that  ladye,  mild  of  thouglit, — 

"  Thomas,  let  such  wordes  be ; 
Queen  of  heaven  am  I  not, — 
I  took  never  so  high  degree. 

17  "  But  I  am  ladye  of  another  countrie ; 

If  I  be  pareli'd  most  of  price, 
I  ride  after  the  wildfe  fee,* 

My  raches  rinnin'  at  my  device." 

18  "  If  thou  be  pareli'd  most  of  price, 

And  ridest  here  in  thy  folly. 
Lovely  ladye,  as  thou  art  wise. 
Then  give  me  leave  to  lye  by  thee." 

"  " Baches: "  scenting  hounds. 
6  "Flonne: "  arrow, 
c  "  Eathely:  "  readily,  or  quickly. 
d  "Hew,"  or  "  rue: "  have  pity. 
•  "  Fee : "  deer. 


396  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


19  "  Do  way,  Thomas, "  that  were  folly! 

I  pray  thee  heartily,  let  me  be, 
For  I  say  thee  full  sikerly,* 

That  sin  will  fordo "  all  my  beautie." 

20  "  Now,  lovely  ladye,  rew  on  me, 

And  I  shall  ever  with  thee  dwell ; 
Here  my  troth  I  plight  to  thee, 
Whether  thou  wilt  to  heaven  or  hell!" 

21  "  Man  of  mold,  thou  wilt  me  mar. 

And  yet  but  you  may  have  your  will ; 
Trow  you  well  thou  choosest  the  waur,  ^ 
For  all  my  beautie  thou  wilt  spill." 


22  Thomas  stood  up  in  that  stead. 

And  beheld  that  ladye  gay ; 
The  hair  that  hung  upon  her  head, 
The  one  half  black,  the  other  gray. 

23  All  her  rich  clothing  was  away, 

That  he  before  saw  in  that  stead; 
^  Her  een  seem'd  out,  that  were  so  gray, 

And  all  her  body  like  the  lead. 

24  Then  Thomas  sigh'd  and  said — "  Alas  ! 

In  faith,  this  is  a  doleful  sight ; 
How  art  thou  faded  thus  in  the  face, 

That  shone  before  as  the  sun  so  bright?" 

25  She  said — "  Take  thy  leave  of  sun  and  moon. 

Of  grass  and  leaves  that  grow  on  tree : 

This  twelvemonth  shalt  thou  with  me  gone. 

And  middle  earth  thou  shalt  not  see." 

26  He  kneeled  down  upon  his  knee, 

To  Mary  mild  he  made  his  moan  : 
"  Ladye,  but  that  thou  rew  on  me. 
All  my  games  frae  me  are  gone ! 

27  "  Alas !"  he  said,  "  and  woe  is  me! 

I  trow  my  deeds  will  work  me  woe: 
Jesu!  my  soul  beteche*  I  thee, 
Wheresoever  my  body  go!" 

»  "  Scho  sayde, '  The  man.'  "—Lincoln  MS.        <*  "  Waur: "  worse. 

*  "  Sikerly:  "  certainly,  truly.  *  "Beteche:"  commend, 

"  "Fordo:"  undo. 


THOMAS  OF  EnCILDOUNE.  397 


28  She  led  him  in  at  Eildon  hill, 

Underneath  the  greenwood  tree," 
Where  it  was  dark  as  midnight  mirk, 
And  ever  in  water  to  the  knee. 

29  There  the  space  of  dayes  three, 

He  heard  but  soughing*  of  the  flood; 
At  the  last,  he  said — "  Full  woe  is  me; 
Almost  I  die,  for  fault  of  food ! " 

30  She  led  him  into  a  fair  herbere, 

Where  fruit  was  growing  in  great  plentie  ; 
Pears  and  apples  both  ripe  they  were, 
The  date,  and  also  the  damson  tree, 

31  The  fig,  and  also  the  wine-berry, 

The  nightingales  lying  on  their  nest ; 
The  popinjays  fast  about  'gan  fly, 

And  throstles  song,  wou'd  have  no  rest. 

32  He  press'd  to  pull  the  fruit  with  his  hand. 

As  man  for  food  that  was  near  faint; 
She  said — "  Thomas,  thou  let  them  stand, 
Or  else  the  fiend  will  thee  attaint. 

33  "  If  thou  [them]  pull,  the  sooth  to  say. 

Thy  soul  goes  to  the  fire  of  hell; 
It  comes  never  out  till  Domisday, 
But  there  in  pain  aye  for  to  dwell. 

34  "  [But]  Thomas,  soothly,  I  thee  hight; 

Come,  lay  thy  head  down  on  my  knee. 
And  thou  shalt  see  the  fairest  sight 
That  ever  saw  man  of  thy  countrie!" 

35  He  did  in  haste  as  she  him  bade, 

His  head  upon  her  knee  he  laid; 
For  her  to  please  he  was  full  glad; 
And  then  that  ladye  to  him  said : 

36  "  See'st  thou,  Thomas,  yon  fair  way 

That  lyes  over  yonder  high  mountayne? 
Strait  is  the  way  to  heaven  for  aye, 

When  sinful  souls  have  dree'd  their  pain. 

°  "  ITndemeathe  a  deme  lee." — Lincoln  MS. 
"Undir  nethe  the  derne  lee." — Cotton  MS. 
6  "Soughing:"  sounding.    'Swaghynge,"  Lincoln  MS.;  "swowyng,"  Cotton  MS. 
"  There  is  something  uncommonly  romantic  and  poetical  in  Thomas's  going  under 
^oncd  with  the  queen  of  Elfland,  as  iEneas  does  with  the  Sibyl, — marching  for  three 
dayM  in  'pitchy  darkness,  and  hearing  nothing  but  the  swechyng  and  swoicjfng — i.  e., 
Bwinging  and  booming— of  the  waves  over  his  head." — Jamieson. 


398  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

37  "  See'st  thou  now,  Thomas,  yonder  way, 

That  lyes  so  low  under  yonder  rise? 
Yon  is  the  way,  the  sooth  to  say, 
Unto  the  joy  of  Paradise. 

38  "  See'st  thou  yet  yonder  third  way, 

That  lyes  over  yon  green  plain? 
Yon  is  the  way,  the  sooth  to  say. 
That  sinful  souls  shall  pass  to  pain. 

39  "  But  see'st  thou  yonder  fourth  way, 

That  lyes  over  yonder  fell  ?  " 
Wide  is  the  way,  the  sooth  to  say,* 
Unto  the  burning  fire  of  hell ! 

40  "  See'st  thou  now  yonder  fair  castell, 

That  stands  upon  j'-on  fair  hill? 
Of  town  and  tow'r  it  beareth  the  bell; 
In  middle  earth  is  none  like  ther'  till." 

41  "  In  sooth,  Thomas,  yon  is  mine  own. 

And  the  king's  of  this  countrie; 
But  me  were  better  be  hanged  and  drawn. 
Than  he  wist  that  thou  lay  by  me ! 

42  "  When  thou  comest  to  yon  castell  gay, 

I  pray  thee  courteous  man  to  be; 
And  whatsoe'er  any  man  to  thee  say, 
Look  that  thou  answer  none  but  me. 

43  "  My  lord  is  served  at  ilka  mess 

With  thirty  knights  [sae]  fair  and  free; 
%  And  I  shall  say,  sitting  at  the  dais, 

I  took  thy  speech  beyond  the  sea.^ 

44  Thomas  stood  as  still  as  a  stone,* 

And  beheld  that  ladye  gay; 

Then  she  was  fair  and  rich  anon,-'' 

And  also  rode  on  her  palfray. 

45  Her  greyhounds  filled  with  deer's  blood, 

Her  raches  coupled,  by  my  fay ; 
She  blew  her  horn  with  main  and  mood. 
And  to  the  castell  she  took  the  way. 

"  "  Oner  yone  depe  delle?  " — Lincoln  MS. 

*  "  So  waylawaye." — Lincoln  MS. 

"  "  In  earthe  es  none  lyk  it  vntiU." — Lincoln  MS. 

<*  "  Lee." — Cotton  and  Cambridge  MSS. 

«  "  Still  als  stone  he  stude."— Lincoln  and  Cambridge  MSS. 

/  "  Scho  came  agayne  als  fairs  and  gnde." — Lincoln  MS. 


THOMAS  OF  ERCILDOUNE.  399 


46  Into  a  hall  soothly  she  went, 

Thomas  follow'd  at  her  hand; 
Ladyes  came  both  fair  and  gent, 
Full  courteously  to  her  kneeland," 

47  Harp  and  fiddle  both  they  fand, 

Ghittern,  and  also  the  psaltry. 

The  lute  and  rebeck,  both  gangand, 

And  all  manner  of  minstrelsy. 

48  Knights  were  dancing  by  three  and  three ; 

There  was  revel,  both  game  and  play; 
Lovely  ladyes,  fair  and  free, 

Dancing  with  them  *  in  rich  array. 

49  The  greatest  ferlie  « there,  Thomas  thought, 

When  thirty  harts  lay  on  [the]  floor, 
And  as  many  deer  in  were  brought. 
That  were  both  largely  long  and  store. 

50  Raches  lay  lappand  in  deer's  blood; 

The  cooks  they  stood  with  dressing-knife, 
Brittling  the  deer  as  they  were  wode,** 
Revel  was  among  them  rife. 

61     There  was  revel,  both  game  and  play, 
More  than  I  you  say,  pardie, 
Till  it  fell  upon  a  day 

My  lovely  ladye  said  to  me : 

52  "  Busk  thee,  Thomas,  for  thou  must  be  gone. 

For  here  no  longer  may'st  thou  be; 
Hie  thee  fast,  with  might  and  main, 
I  shall  thee  bring  to  the  Eildou  tree." 

53  Thomas  answered  with  heavy  cheer, 

"  Lovely  ladye,  thou  let  me  be, 
For  certainly  I  have  been  here 
Nought  but  the  space  of  days  three !  " 

54  "  For  sooth,  Thomas,  as  I  thee  tell. 

Thou  hast  been  here  seven  year  and  more; 
But  longer  here  thou  may  not  dwell. 
The  skill  I  will  thee  tell  wherefore. 

"  "Kneeland:"  kneeling. 

*  "  Sat  and  sang."— Lincoln  and  Cotton  MSSb 

<=  "Ferlie:"  wonder. 

<J""Wode: "  mad. 


400  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


55  "  To-morrow  of  hell  the  foul  fiend 

Among  these  folk  shall  choose  his  fee ; 
Thou  art  a  fair  man  and  a  hend, 

I  trow  full  well  he  wou'd  choose  thee! 

56  "  For  all  the  gold  that  ever  might  be, 

Frae  heaven  unto  the  world's  end, 
Thou  be'st  never  betray'd  for  me ; 
Therefore  with  me  I  rede  thee  wend." 

57  She  brought  him  again  to  the  Eildon  tree, 

Underneath  the  greenwood  spra}'; 
In  Huntly  banks  there  for  to  be, 

Where  birds  sing  both  night  and  day. 

58  "  Far  out  over  yon  mountain  gray, 

Thomas,  a  falcon  makes  her  nest; 
A  falcon  is  an  eagle's  prey. 

For  they  in  place  will  have  no  rest.* 

69     "Farewell,  Thomas;  I  wend  my  way; 
I  may  no  longer  stand  with  thee." 
"  Give  me  some  token,  ladye  gay, 
That  I  may  say  I  spake  with  thee." 

60  "  To  harp  and  carp,  wheresoever  ye  gone, 

Thomas,  take  thee  these  with  thee." 
"Harping,"  said  he,  "ken  I  none. 

For  tongue  is  the  chief  of  minstrelsie ! " 

61  "  If  thou  wilt  spell, f  or  tales  tell, 

Thomas,  thou  never  shall  make  lee: 
Wheresoever  thou  go,  to  frith  or  fell, 
I  pray  thee  speak  never  no  ill  of  me." 

62  Then  True  Thomas  a  sorry  man  was  he, 

The  tears  ran  out  of  his  een  gray : 
"  Lovely  ladye,  yet  tell  to  me, 
If  we  shall  part  for  ever  and  aye?  " 

63  "Nay;  when  thou  sittest  at  Ercildoune, 

To  Huntly  bank  thou  take  thy  way, 
And  then  shall  I  be  ready  boun' 

To  meet  thee,  Thomas,  if  that  I  may." 

*  "Thomas"  seems  to  be  here  represented  by  the  "falcon,"  and  the  "foul  fleud" 
by  the  "eagle: "  "Thomas"  being  in  as  much  danger  from  the  visitation  of  the  one, 
as  the  "falcon"  would  be  from  that  of  the  other. 

"  The  elfln  queen,  after  restoring  Thomas  to  earth,  pours  forth  a  string  of  prophe- 
cies, in  which  we  distinguish  references  to  the  events  and  personages  of  the  Scottish 
wars  of  Edward  III.  The  battles  of  Duplin  and  Halidon  are  mentioned,  and  ai.so 
Black  Agnes,  Countess  of  Dunbar." — Scott 

t  "  This  is  the  real  word  which  In  Scotland  has  now  taken  the  form  of  spae." — 
Jamieson. 


ACLD  MAITLAND.  401 


64     She  blew  her  horn  on  her  palfray, 
And  left  Thomas  at  Eildon  tree ; 
Till  Helmesdale  she  took  her  way, 
And  thus  parted  that  ladye  and  he. 


AULD  MAITLAND. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  L,  p.  306. 

"  This  ballad,  notwithstanding  its  present  appearance,  has  a  claim  to 
very  high  antiquity.  It  has  been  preserved  by  tradition ;  and  is, 
perhaps,  the  most  authentic  instance  of  a  long  and  very  old  poem 
exclusively  thus  preserved.  It  is  only  known  to  a  few  old  people 
upon  the  sequestered  banks  of  the  Ettrick;  and  is  published  as 
written  down  from  the  recitation  of  the  mother  of  Mr.  James  Hogg,* 
who  sings,  or  rather  chants  it,  with  great  animation.  She  learned  the 
ballad  from  a  blind  man,  who  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety,  and 
is  said  to  have  been  possessed  of  much  traditionary  knowledge. 
Although  the  language  of  this  poem  is  much  modernized,  yet  many 
words,  which  the  reciters  have  retained  without  understanding  them, 
still  preserve  traces  of  its  antiquity.  Such  are  the  words  springals 
(corruptedly  pronounced  springvjaUs),  sowies,  portcullize,  and  many 
other  appropriate  terms  of  war  and  chivalry,  which  could  never 
have  been  introduced  by  a  modem  ballad-maker.  The  incidents  are 
striking  and  well  managed  ;  and  they  are  in  strict  conformity  with 
the  manners  of  the  age  in  which  they  are  placed. 

"  The  date  of  the  ballad  cannot  be  ascertained  with  any  degree  of 
accuracy.  Sir  Richard  Maitland,  the  hero  of  the  poem,  seems  to  have 
been  in  possession  of  his  estate  about  1250 ;  so  that,  as  he  survived 
the  commencement  of  the  wars  betwixt  England  and  Scotland,  in 
1296,  his  prowess  against  the  English,  in  defence  of  his  castle  of 
Lauder  or  Thirlestane,  must  have  been  exerted  during  his  extreme  old 
age.  He  seems  to  have  been  distinguished  for  devotion  as  well  as 
valour;  for,  a.d.  1249,  Dominus  Eicardus  de  Mautlant  gave  to  the 
Abbey  of  Dryburgh,  *  Terras  suas  de  Haubeutside,  in  territorio  sue 
de  Thirlestane,  pro  salute  animce  suce,  et  sponsoe  suce,  antecessorum 
suorum  et  successorum  suorum,  in  perpetuum.'+  He  also  gave  to  the 
same  convent,  '  Omnes  terras,  quas  Walteras  de  Giiling  tenuit  in 
feodo  sue  de  Thirlestane  et  pastura  incommuni  de  Thirlestane,  ad 
quadraginta  oves,  sexaginta  vaccas,  et  ad  viginti  equos.' — Cartulary 
of  Dryburgh  Abbey,  in  the  Advocates^  Library. 

"  From  the  following  ballad,  and  from  the  family  traditions 
referred  to  in  the  Maitland  MSS. ,  Auld  Maitland  appears  to  have  had 
three  sons  ;  but  we  learn  from  the  latter  authority,  that  only  one 

•  This  old  woman  is  still  alive,  and  at  present  resides  at  Craig  of  Douglas,  in 
Selkirkshire  (1805).— The  mother  of  the  "  Ettrick  Shepherd  "  is  now  deceased  (1820). 

t  There  exists  also  an  indenture,  or  bond,  entered  into  by  Patrick,  Abbot  of 
Kelsau,  and  his  convent,  referring  to  an  engagement  betwixt  them  and  Sir  Richard 
Maitland,  and  Sir  William,  his  eldest  son,  concerning  the  lands  of  Hedderwicke  and 
the  pasturages  of  Thirlestane  and  Blythe.  This  Patrick  was  Abbot  of  Kelso  betwixt 
1258  and  1260. 

2d 


402  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


survived  him,  who  was  thence  sumamed  Burd-alane,  which  signifies 
either  unequalled,  or  solitary.  A  'Consolation,'  addressed  to  Sir 
Richard  Maitland  of  Lethington,  a  poet  and  scholar  who  flourished 
about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  who  gives  name  to  the 
Maitland  MSS.,  draws  the  foUovmig  parallel  betwixt  his  domestic 
misfortunes  and  those  of  the  first  Sir  Richard,  his  great  ancestor:— 

'  Sic  destanie  and  derfe  devoring  deid 
Oft  his  own  hous  in  hazard  put  of  auld; 
Bot  your  forbeiris,  frovard  fortunes  steid 
And  bitter  blastea  ay  buir  with  breistis  bauld; 
Luit  wanweirdis  work  and  waiter  as  they  wald, 
Thair  hardie  hairtis,  hawtie  and  heroik. 
For  fortounes  feid  or  force  wald  never  fanld. 
But  stormis  withstand  with  stomak  stout  and  stoik. 

'  Eenowned  Eichert  of  your  race  record, 
Quhai  prais  and  prowis  cannot  be  exprost; 
Mair  Instie  lynyage  nevir  haid  ane  lord, 
For  he  begat  the  bauldest  baimis  and  best, 
Maist  manful  men,  and  madinis  most  modest, 
That  ever  wes  sy^  Pyramus  son  of  Troy, 
But  piteousUe  thai  peirles  herles  a  pest 
Bereft  him  all  bot  Buird-allane,  a  boy. 

'  Hlmselfe  was  aiget,  his  hous  hang  be  a  har, 
Duill  and  distres  almaist  to  deid  him  draife; 
Yet  Burd-allane,  his  only  son  and  air, 
As  wretched,  yyiss,  and  valient,  as  the  laive, 
His  hous  uphail'd,  quhilk  ye  with  honor  haive. 
So  nature  that  the  lyk  invyand  name. 
In  kindlie  cair  dois  kindly  courage  craif,* 
To  follow  him  in  fortoune  and  in  fame. 

'  Eicherd  he  wes.  Eicherd  ye  are  also, 
And  Maitland  als,  and  magnanime  ar  ye; 
In  als  great  age,  als  wrappit  are  in  wo, 
Sewin  sonst  ye  haid  might  contra vaill  his  thrie, 
Bot  Burd-allane  ye  haive  behind  as  he : 
The  lord  his  linage  so  inlarge  in  lyne, 
And  mony  hundreith  nepotis  grie  and  grie  J 
Sen  Eichert  wes  as  hundreth  yeiris  are  hyne.' 

— An  Consolator  Ballad,  to  the  Eicht  Honorabill  Sir 
Richert  Maitland  of  Lethingtoune. — Maitland 
MSS.  in  Library  of  Edinburgh  University. 

"  Sir  William  Mautlant,  or  Maitland,  the  eldest  and  sole  surviving 
son  of  Sir  Richard,  ratified  and  confirmed,  to  the  monks  of  Dryburgh, 
'  Omnes  terras  quas  Dominus  Ricardus  de  Mautlant  pater  suus  fecit 
dictis  monachis  in  territorio  suo  de  Thirlestane. '  Sir  William  is 
supposed  to  have  died  about  1315. — Crawford's  Peerage. 

"  Such  were  the  heroes  of  the  baUad.    The  castle  of  Thirlestane  is 

•  /.  e.,  Similar  family  distress  demands  the  same  family  courage. 

t  "  Sewin  sons  " — this  must  include  sons-in-law ;  for  the  last  Sir  Eichard,  like  hia 
predecessor,  had  only  three  sons,  namely, — I.  'William,  the  famous  secretary  of 
Queen  Mary;  II.  Sir  John,  who  alone  survived  him,  and  is  the  Burd-allane  of  the 
Consolation ;  III.  Thomas,  a  youth  of  great  hopes,  who  died  in  Italy.  But  he  had 
four  daughters  married  to  gentlemen  of  fortune. — Pinkerton's  List  of  Scoiiiih  Poeti, 
p.  114. 

$  "  GWe  and  grie: "  in  regular  descent;  from  gre,  French. 


AULD  MAITLAND,  403 


situated  upon  the  Leader,  near  the  town  of  Lauder.  Whether  the 
present  building,  which  was  erected  by  Chancellor  Maitland,  and 
improved  by  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  occupies  the  site  of  the  ancient 
castle,  I  do  not  know ;  but  it  still  merits  the  epithet  of  a  '  darksome 
house.'  I  find  no  notice  of  the  siege  in  history  ;  but  there  is  nothing 
improbable  in  supposing  that  the  castle,  during  the  stormy  period  of 
the  Baliol  wars,  may  have  held  out  against  the  English.  The  creation 
of  a  nephew  of  Edward  I.,  for  the  pleasure  of  slaying  him  by  the 
hand  of  young  Maitland,  is  a  poetical  license;*  and  may  induce  us 
to  place  the  date  of  the  composition  about  the  reign  of  David  II.,  or 
of  his  successor,  when  the  real  exploits  of  Maitland,  and  his  sons, 
were  in  some  degree  obscured,  as  well  as  magnified,  by  the  lapse  of 
time.  The  inveterate  hatred  against  the  English,  founded  upon  the 
usurpation  of  Edward  I. ,  glows  in  every  Une  of  the  ballad. 

"  Auld  Maitland  is  placed  by  Gawain  Douglas,  bishop  of  Dunkeld, 
among  the  popular  heroes  of  romance,  in  his  allegorical  '  Palice  of 
Honour:' — 

*  I  saw  Eaf  Coilyerir  with  his  thrawin  brow, 
Crabit  John  the  Eeif,  and  anld  Cowkilbeis  Sow: 
And  how  the  wran  cam  out  of  Ailesay, 
And  Piers  Plowman,  that  meid  his  workmen  few : 
Great  Qowmacmome,  and  Fin  Mac  Cowl,  and  how 
They  suld  be  goddis  in  Ireland,  as  they  say. 
Thair  saw  I  Maitland  upon  auld  beird  gray, 
Robin  Hude,  and  Gilbert  with  the  quhite  hand, 
How  Hay  of  Nauohton  flew  in  Madln  land.' 

In  this  curious  verse,  the  most  noted  romances,  or  popular  histories 
of  the  poet's  day,  seem  to  be  noticed.  The  preceding  stanza  describes 
the  sports  of  the  field ;  and  that  which  follows  refers  to  the  tricks  of 
jugailrie ;  so  that  the  three  verses  comprehend  the  whole  pastimes  of 
the  middle  ages,  which  are  aptly  represented  as  the  furniture  of  Dame 
Venus  s  chamber.  The  verse,  referring  to  Maitland,  is  obAdously  cor- 
rupted; the  true  reading  was  probably,  'with  his  auld  beird  gray.' 
Indeed,  the  whole  verse  is  full  of  errors  and  corruptions ;  which  is  the 
greater  pity,  as  it  conveys  information  to  be  found  nowhere  else. 

"The  descendant  of  Auld  Maitland,  Sir  Eichard  of  Lethington, 
seems  to  have  been  frequently  complimented  on  the  popular  renown 
of  his  great  ancestor.  We  have  already  seen  one  instance ;  and  in  an 
elegant  copy  of  verses  in  the  Maitland  MSS.,  in  praise  of  Sir  Richard's 
seat  of  Lethington,  which  he  had  built,  or  greatly  improved,  this  ob- 
vious topic  of  flattery  does  not  escape  the  poet.  From  the  terms  of 
his  panegyric  we  learn,  that  the  exploits  of  auld  Sir  Richard  with  the 
gray  beard,  and  of  his  three  sons,  were  '  sung  in  many  a  far  countrie, 
albeit  in  rural  rhyme;'  from  which  we  may  infer,  that  they  were 
narrated  rather  in  the  shape  of  a  popular  ballad,  than  in  a  romance 
of  price.  K  this  be  the  case,  the  song  now  published  may  have 
undergone  little  variation  since  the  date  of  the  Maitland  MSS. ;  for, 
divestmg  the  poem,  in  praise  of  Lethington,  of  its  antique  spelling, 

•  Such  liberties  with  the  genealogy  of  monarchs  were  common  to  romancers. 
Henry  the  Minstrel  makes  Wallace  slay  more  than  one  of  King  Edward's  nephews; 
and  Johnie  Annstrong  claims  the  merit  of  slaying  a  sister's  son  of  Henry  YIIL 


404  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


it  would  run  as  smoothly,  and  appear  as  modem,  as  any  verse  in  the 
following  ballad.     The  lines  alluded  to  are  addressed  to  the  castle  of 


Lethington : — 

'  And  happie  art  thon  sic  a  place, 

That  few  thy  maik  are  sene! 
But  yit  mair  happie  far  that  race 

To  quhome  thou  dois  pertene. 
Quha  dois  not  knaw  the  Maitland  blnid. 

The  best  in  all  this  land? 
In  quhilk  sumtyme  the  honour  staid 

And  worship  of  Scotland. 

'Of  anld  Sir  Richard,  of  that  name, 

We  have  hard  sing  and  say; 
Of  his  triumphant  nobill  fame, 

And  of  his  auld  baird  gray, 
And  of  his  nobill  sonnis  three, 

Quhilk  that  time  had  no  maik ; 
Quhilk  maid  Scotland  renounit  be, 

And  all  England  to  quaik. 

'Quhais  luiflng  praysis,  made  trewllo 
'  Efter  that  simple  tyme, 

Ar  sung  in  monie  far  countrie. 

Albeit  in  rural  rhyme. 
And,  gif  1  dar  the  treuth  declair, 
And  nane  me  fleitschour  call, 
I  can  to  him  find  na  compair, 
And  till  his  barnis  alL' 

"  It  is  a  curious  circumstance,  that  this  interesting  tale,  so  often 
referred  to  by  ancient  authors,  should  be  now  recovered  in  so  perfect 
a  state ;  and  many  readers  may  be  pleased  to  see  the  following  sen- 
sible observations,  made  by  a  person  bom  in  Ettrick  Forest,  in  the 
humble  situation  of  a  shepherd : — '  I  am  surprised  to  hear  that  this 
song  is  suspected  by  some  to  be  a  modern  forgery ;  the  contrary  will 
be  best  proved,  by  most  of  the  old  people,  hereabouts,  having  a  great 
part  of  it  by  heart.  Many,  indeed,  are  not  aware  of  the  manners  of 
this  country ;  till  this  present  age,  the  poor  illiterate  people,  in  these 
glens,  knew  of  no  other  entertainment,  in  the  long  winter  nights,  than 
repeating,  and  listening  to,  the  feats  of  their  ancestors,  recorded  in 
songs,  which  I  believe  to  be  handed  down,  from  father  to  son,  for 
many  generations,  although,  no  doubt,  had  a  copy  been  taken,  at  the 
end  of  every  fifty  years,  there  must  have  been  some  difference,  oc- 
casioned by  the  gradual  change  of  language.  I  believe  it  is  thus  that 
very  many  ancient  songs  have  been  gradually  modernized  to  the 
common  ear ;  while,  to  the  connoisseur,  they  present  marks  of  their 
genuine  antiquity.' — Letter  to  the  Editor,  from .  Mn.  James  Hogg. 
To  the  observations  of  my  ingenious  correspondent  I  have  nothing  to 
add,  but  that,  in  this,  and  a  thousand  other  instances,  they  accurately 
coincide  with  my  personal  knowledge." 

The  notes  to  the  introduction  and  ballad  are  Sir  Walter  Scott's. 

1     There  lived  a  king  in  southern  land, 
King  Edward  hight  his  name; 
Unwordily  he  wore  the  crown, 
Till  fifty  years  were  gane. 


AULD  MATTLAND.  406 


2  He  had  a  sister's  son  o'b  ain, 

Was  large  of  blood  and  bane; 
And  afterward,  when  he  came  up, 
Young  Edward  hight  his  name.* 

3  One  day  he  came  before  the  king, 

And  kneel'd  low  on  his  knee : 
"  A  boon,  a  boon,  my  good  uncle, 
I  crave  to  ask  of  thee  I 

4  "  At  our  lang  wars,  in  fair  Scotland, 

I  fain  ha'e  wish'd  to  be; 
If  fifteen  hundred  waled  t  wight  men 
You'll  grant  to  ride  with  me." 

6     "  Thou  shall  ha'e  thae,  thou  shall  ha'e  mae; 
I  say  it  sickerlie; 
And  I  myself,  an  auld  gray  man, 
Array 'd  your  host  shall  see." 

6  King  Edward  rade.  King  Edward  ran — 

I  wish  him  dool  and  pyne!  f 
Till  he  had  fifteen  hundred  men 
Assembled  on  the  Tyne. 

7  And  thrice  as  many  at  Berwicke§ 

Were  all  for  battle  bound, 
[Who,  marching  forth  with  false  Dunbar, 
A  ready  welcome  found.]  |{ 

8  They  lighted  on  the  banks  of  Tweed, 

And  blew  their  coals  sae  bet. 
And  fired  the  Merse  and  Teviotdale, 
All  in  an  evening  late. 

9  As  they  fared  up  o'er  Lammermoor, 

They  burn'd  baith  up  and  down. 
Until  they  came  to  a  darksome  house, 
Some  call  it  Leader-Town. 

*  Were  it  possible  to  find  an  authority  for  calling  this  personage  Edmnnd,  we 
should  be  a  step  nearer  history;  for  a  brother,  though  not  a  nephew  of  Edward  I.,  bo 
named,  died  in  Gfascony,  during  an  unsuccessful  campaign  against  the  French. — 
Snighton,  lib.  ilL,  cap.  8. 

t  "  Waled :"  chosen. 

t  Thus  Spencer,  in  "Mother  Huberd's  Tale:  "— 

"Thus  is  the  apo  become  a  shepherd  swain, 
And  the  false  fox  his  dog,  God  give  them  pain! " 

}  North  Berwick,  according  to  some  reciters. 

B  These  two  lines  have  been  inserted  by  Mr.  Ho^rg  to  complete  the  verse.  Dunbar, 
the  fortress  of  St.  Patrick,  Earl  of  March,  was  too  often  opened  to  the  Knglish,  by 
the  treachery  of  that  baron,  during  the  reign  of  Edward  L 


406  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


10  "  Wha  bauds  this  house?"  young  Edward  cried, 

"  Or  wha  gi'est  o'er  to  me?  " 
A  gray-hair'd  knight  set  up  his  head, 
And  crackit  right  crousely : 

11  "  Of  Scotland's  king  I  hand  my  house; 

He  pays  me  meat  and  fee ; 
And  I  will  keep  my  gude  auld  house, 
While  my  house  will  keep  me." 

12  They  laid  their  sowies  to  the  wall. 

With  mony  a  heavy  peal; 
But  he  threw  o'er  to  them  agen 
Baith  pitch  and  tar  barrel. 

13  With  springalds,  stanes,  and  gads  of  aim, 

Amang  them  fast  he  threw; 
Till  mony  of  the  Englishmen 
About  the  wall  he  slew. 

14  Full  fifteen  days  that  braid  host  lay, 

Sieging  Auld  Maitland  keen; 
Syne  they  ha'e  left  him,  hail  and  feir. 
Within  his  strength  of  stane. 

15  Then  fifteen  barks,  all  gaily  good, 

Met  them  upon  a  day. 
Which  they  did  lade  with  as  much  spoil 
As  they  cou'd  bear  away. 

16  "England's  our  ain  by  heritage; 

And  what  can  us  withstand, 
Now  we  ha'e  conquer'd  fair  Scotland, 
With  buckler,  bow,  and  brand?" 

17  Then  they  are  on  to  the  land  of  France, 

Where  auld  king  Edward  lay. 
Burning  baith  castle,  tower,  and  town. 
That  he  met  in  his  way. 

18  Until  he  came  unto  that  town. 

Which  some  call  Billop-Grace :  * 
There  were  Auld  Maitland 's  sons,  all  three, 
Learning  at  school,  alas  1 

*If  this  be  a  Flemish  or  Scottish  corruption  for  Ville  de  Grace,  in  Normandy, 
that  1o«  n  was  never  besieged  by  Edward  I.,  whose  wars  in  France  were  confined  fo 
the  province  of  Gascony.  The  rapid  change  of  scene,  from  Scotland  to  France, 
excites  a  suspicion,  that  some  verses  may  have  been  lost  in  this  place. 


AULD  MAITLAND.  407 


19  The  eldest  to  the  youngest  said, 

"  Oh,  see  ye  what  I  see? 
If  all  be  true  yon  standard  says,* 
We're  fatherless  all  three. 

20  "  For  Scotland 's  conquer'd  up  and  down ; 

Landmen  we'll  never  be ! 
Now,  will  you  go,  my  brethren  two, 
And  try  some  jeopardy?  " 

21  Then  they  ha'e  saddled  twa  black  horse, 

Twa  black  horse  and  a  gray ; 
And  they  are  on  to  king  Edward's  host, 
Before  the  dawn  of  day. 

22  When  they  arrived  before  the  host. 

They  hover'd  on  the  lay : 
"  Wilt  thou  lend  me  our  king's  standard, 
To  bear  a  little  way?  " 

23  "Where  wast  thou  bred?  where  wast  thou  bom? 

Where,  or  in  what  countrie?" 
"  In  north  of  England  I  was  bom; " 
(It  needed  him  to  lee.) 

24  "  A  knight  me  gat,  a  ladye  bore, 

I  am  a  squire  of  high  renown ; 
I  well  may  bear't  to  any  king 
That  ever  yet  wore  crown." 

25  "  He  ne'er  came  of  an  Englishman, 

Had  sic  an  e'e  or  bree; 
But  thou  art  the  likest  Auld  Maitland, 
That  ever  I  did  see. 

26  "  But  sic  a  gloom  on  ae  browhead, 

Grant  I  ne'er  see  again! 
For  mony  of  our  men  he  slew. 
And  mony  put  to  pain." 

27  When  Maitland  heard  his  father's  name, 

An  angry  man  was  he; 
Then,  lifting  up  a  gilt  dagger, 
Himg  low  down  by  his  knee, 

28  He  stabb'd  the  knight  the  standard  bore, 

He  stabb'd  him  cruellie; 

*  Edward  had  quartered  the  arms  of  Scotland  with  his  own. 


408  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Then  caught  the  standard  by  the  neuk, 
And  fast  away  rode  he.* 

29  "Now,  is't  na  time,  brothers,"  he  cried, 

"  Now,  is't  na  time  to  flee  ?  " 
"Ay.  by  my  sooth  !  "  they  baith  replied, 
"  We'll  bear  you  companye." 

30  The  youngest  tum'd  him  in  a  path, 

And  drew  a  burnish'd  brand. 

And  fifteen  of  the  foremost  slew, 

Till  back  the  lave  did  stand. 

31  He  spurr'd  the  gray  into  the  path, 

Till  baith  his  sides  they  bled : 
"  Gray !  thou  maun  carry  rue  away, 
Or  my  life  lies  in  wad  1 " 

32  The  captain  lookit  o'er  the  wall, 

About  the  break  of  day; 
There  he  beheld  the  three  Scots  lads 
Pursued  along  the  way. 

33  "  Pull  up  portcuUize  I  down  draw-brig  I 

My  nephews  are  at  hand ; 
And  they  shall  lodge  with  me  to-night, 
In  spite  of  all  England." 

34  "Whene'er  they  came  within  the  yate, 

They  thrust  their  horse  them  frae,t 
And  took  three  lang  spears  in  their  hands, 
Saying — "Here  shall  come  nae  mael" 

35  And  they  shot  out,  and  they  shot  in, 

Till  it  was  fairly  day; 
When  mony  of  the  Englishmen 
About  the  draw-brig  lay. 

36  Then  they  ha'e  yoked  the  carts  and  wains, 

To  ca'  their  dead  away, 
And  shot  auld  dykes  abune  the  lave, 
In  gutters  where  they  lay. 

•  Thns,  Sir  Walter  Mauny,  retreating  into  the  fortress  of  Hanyboute,  after  a 
successful  sally,  was  pursued  by  the  besiegers,  who  "  ranne  after  them  lyke  madde 
men;  than  sir  Gualtier  saide.  Let  me  never  be  beloved  wyth  my  lady,  wythout 
I  have  a  course  wyth  one  of  these  followers;"  and  turning,  with  his  lance  in  the 
rest,  he  overthrew  several  of  his  pursuers,  before  he  condescended  to  continue  his 
retreat. — Froissart. 

t  "  The  lord  of  Hangest  (pursued  by  the  English)  came  so  to  the  barrjrrs  (of  Van- 
donne)  that  were  open,  as  his  happe  was,  and  so  entred  in  thereat,  and  then  toke 
liiB  speare,  and  turned  him  to  defence,  right  valiantly." — Froissart,  voL  i.,  chap.  367. 


AULD  MAITLAND.'  409 


37  The  king,  at  his  pavilion  door, 

Was  heard  aloud  to  say : 
"  Last  night,  three  of  the  lads  of  France 
My  standard  stole  away. 

38  "  With  a  fause  tale,  disguised  they  came, 

And  with  a  fauser  trayne; 
And  to  regain  my  gaye  standard, 
These  men  were  all  down  slayne." 

39  "  It  ill  befits,"  the  youngest  said, 

"  A  crowned  king  to  lee; 
But,  or  that  I  taste  meat  and  drink. 
Reproved  shall  he  be." 

40  He  went  before  king  Edward  straight, 

And  kneel'd  low  on  his  knee: 
"  I  wou'd  ha'e  leave,  my  lord,"  he  said, 
"  To  speak  a  word  with  thee." 

41  The  king  he  tum'd  him  round  about, 

And  wistna  what  to  say: 
Quo'  he,  "  Man,  thou  's  ha'e  leave  to  speak, 
Though  thou  should  speak  all  day." 

42  "  Ye  said  that  three  young  lads  of  France 

Your  standard  stole  away. 
With  a  fause  tale  and  fauser  trayne. 
And  mony  men  did  slay; 

43  "  But  we  are  nane  the  lads  of  France, 

Nor  e'er  pretend  to  be : 
We  are  three  lads  of  fair  Scotland, — 
Auld  Maitland's  sons  are  we. 

44  "  Nor  is  there  men  in  all  your  host 

Daur  fight  us  three  to  three." 
"  Now,  by  my  sooth,"  young  Edward  said, 
"  Weel  fitted  ye  shall  be ! 

45  "  Piercy  shall  with  the  eldest  fight, 

And  Ethert  Lunn  with  thee; 
William  of  Lancaster  the  third, 
And  bring  your  fourth  to  me  I 

46  "  Remember,  Piercy,  aft  the  Scot 

Has  cower'd  beneath  thy  hand;* 
For  every  drap  of  Maitland  blood, 
I'll  gi'e  a  rig  of  land." 

*  Modem,  to  supply  an  imperfect  Btanza. 


410  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


47  He  clanked  Piercy  o'er  the  head 

A  deep  wound  and  a  sair, 
Till  the  best  blood  of  his  body- 
Came  running  down  his  hair. 

48  "  Now,  I've  slayne  ane;  slay  ye  the  twa  ; 

And  that's  gude  companye; 
And  if  the  twa  shou'd  slay  ye  baith, 
Ye'se  get  nae  help  frae  me."  * 

49  But  Ethert  Lunn,  a  baited  bear, 

Had  many  battles  seen ; 
He  set  the  youngest  wonder  sair, 
Till  the  eldest  he  grew  keen. 

50  " I  am  nae  king,  nor  nae  sic  thing:  f 

My  word  it  shanna  stand! 
For  Ethert  shall  a  buffet  bide, 
Come  he  beneath  my  brand." 

51  He  clankit  Ethert  o'er  the  head 

A  deep  wound  and  a  sair. 

Till  the  best  blood  in  his  body 

Came  running  o'er  his  hair. 

62  "  Now,  I've  slayne  twa;  slay  ye  the  ane; 

Isna  that  gude  companye? 
And  though  the  ane  shou'd  slay  ye  baith, 
Ye'se  get  nae  help  of  me." 

63  The  twa-some  they  ha'e  slayne  the  ane. 

They  maul'd  him  cruellie ;  J  ' 

Then  hung  him  over  the  draw-brig, 
That  all  the  host  might  see. 

64  They  rade  their  horse,  they  ran  their  horse, 

Then  hover'd  on  the  lee : 
"  We  be  three  lads  of  fair  Scotland, 
That  fain  wou'd  fighting  see." 

•  According  to  the  Jaws  of  chivalry,  laws  which  were  also  for  a  long  time 
observed  in  duels,  when  two  or  more  persons  were  engaged  on  each  side,  he,  who 
first  conquered  his  immediate  antagonist,  was  at  liberty,  if  he  pleased,  to  come  to 
the  assistance  of  his  companions. 

t  Maitland's  apology  for  retracting  his  promise  to  stand  neuter  is  as  curious  as 
his  doing  so  is  natural.  The  unfortunate  John  of  France  was  wont  to  say,  that  if 
truth  and  faith  were  banished  from  all  the  rest  of  the  universe,  they  should  still 
reside  in  the  breast  and  the  mouth  of  kings. 

J  This  has  a  vulgar  sound,  but  is  actually  a  phrase  of  romance.  Tant  frappant  et 
maillent  lex  deux  vassaux  I'un  sur  I'autre,  que  lews  heaimies,  et  leura  hauberts,  sont 
tous  cassez  et  rompuz.— La  Fleor  des  Battailes. 


AULD  MAITLAND.  411 


55    This  boasting  when  young  Edward  heard, 
An  angry  man  was  he : 
"  I'll  take  yon  lad,  I'll  bind  yon  lad, 
And  bring  him  bound  to  thee ! " 

66     "  Now,  God  forbid,"  king  Edward  said, 
"That  ever  thou  shou'd  try! 
Three  worthy  leaders  we  ha'e  lost, 
And  thou  the  fourth  wou'd  lie. 

57  "  If  thou  shou'dst  hang  on  yon  draw-brig, 

Blythe  wou'd  I  never  be." 
But,  with  the  poll-axe  in  his  ha^d, 
Upon  the  brig  sprang  he.* 

58  The  first  stroke  that  young  Edward  ga'e, 

He  struck  with  might  and  main ; 
He  clove  the  Maitland's  helmet  stout, 
And  bit  right  nigh  the  brain. 

59  When  Maitland  saw  his  ain  blood  fall, 

An  angry  man  was  he ;  f 
He  let  his  weapon  frae  him  fall, 
And  at  his  throat  did  flee. 

*  The  sieges,  during  the  Middle  Ages,  frequently  afforded  opportunity  for  single 
combat,  of  which  the  scene  was  usually  the  drawbridge,  or  barriers,  of  the  town. 
The  former,  as  the  more  desperate  place  of  battle,  was  frequently  chosen  by 
knights,  who  chose  to  break  a  lance  for  honour  and  their  ladies'  love.  In  1387,  Sir 
William  Douglas,  Lord  of  Nithsdale,  upon  the  drawbridge  of  the  town  of  Carlisle, 
consisting  of  two  beams,  hardly  two  feet  in  breadth,  encountered  and  slew,  first,  a 
single  champion  of  England,  and  afterwards  two,  who  attacked  him  together. — 
Forduni  Scoiichronicon,  lib.  xiv.,  chap.  5L 

"  He  brynt  the  suburbys  of  Carlele, 
And  at  the  bareris  he  faucht  sa  wel, 
That  on  thare  bryg  he  slew  a  man. 
The  wychtast  that  in  the  town  wes  than; 
Quhare,  on  a  plank  of  twa  feet  brade 
He  stude,  and  swa  gude  payment  made, 
That  he  feld  twa  stout  fechteris. 
And  but  skath  went  till  his  feres." 

— Wyntovm's  Cronykil,  book  ix.,  chap.  8. 

These  combats  at  the  barriers,  or  palisades,  which  formed  the  outer  fortification 
of  a  town,  were  so  frequent,  that  the  mode  of  attack  and  defence  was  early  taught 
to  the  future  knight  and  continued  long  to  be  practised  in  the  games  of  chivalry. 
The  custom,  therefore,  of  defying  the  inhabitants  of  a  besieged  town  to  this  sort  of 
contest,  was  highly  fashionable  in  the  Middle  Ages;  and  an  army  could  hardly 
appear  before  a  place,  without  giving  rise  to  a  variety  of  combats  at  the  barriers, 
which  were,  in  general,  conducted  without  any  unfair  advantage  being  taken  on 
either  part. 

t  There  is  a  saying,  that  a  Scotchman  fights  best  after  seeing  his  own  blood. 
Camerarius  has  contrived  to  hitch  this  foolish  proverb  into  a  national  compliment, 
for  he  quotes  it  as  an  instance  of  the  persevering  gallantry  of  his  countrymen.  "  Si 
in  pugna  proprium  effundi  sangoinem  vidissent,  non  statim  prostrato  animo,  con- 
cedebant,  sed  irato  potiua  in  hostes  velut  furentes  omnibus  viribus  incvurebant." 


412  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


60  And  thrice  about  he  did  him  swing, 

Till  on  the  ground  he  light, 
Where  he  has  halden  young  Edward, 
Tho'  he  was  great  in  might. 

61  "  Now  let  him  up,"  king  Edward  cried, 

"  And  let  him  come  to  me; 
And  for  the  deed  that  thou  hast  done, 
Thou  shalt  ha'e  earldomes  three  1" 

62  "  It 's  ne'er  be  said  in  France,  nor  e'er 

In  Scotland,  when  I'm  hame, 
That  Edward  once  lay  under  me,* 
And  e'er  g#t  up  again!" 

63  He  pierced  him  through  and  through  the  heart, 

He  maul'd  him  cruellie; 
Then  hung  him  o'er  the  draw-brig, 
Beside  the  other  three. 

64  "  Now  take  frae  me  that  feather-bed. 

Make  me  a  bed  of  strae ! 
I  wish  I  hadna  lived  this  day, 
To  make  my  heart  sae  wae, 

65  "  If  I  were  ance  at  London  Tow'r, 

Where  I  was  wont  to  be, 
I  never  mair  shou'd  gang  frae  hame, 
Till  borne  on  a  bier-tree. 


SIB  WILLIAM  WALLACE. 

The  unfortunate  accident  which  deprived  Alexander  HI.  of  life, 
on  the  16th  of  March,  1285-6,  opened  the  floodgates  of  civil  broil  in 
Scotland.  These  were  temporarily  closed,  but  only  to  burst  again 
with  greater  violence,  on  the  death  of  Margaret,  the  Maiden  of 
Norway,  the  last  lineal  descendant  of  the  ancient  Scotish  kings, 
A.D.  1290. 

Well,  therefore,  might  the  early  poet  sing  the  doleful  ditty, — 

"  Quhen  Alysandyr,  oure  kyrig,  wes  dede, 
That  Scotland  led  in  luwe  and  le, 
Away  wes  sons  of  ale  and  brede, 
Of  wyne  and  wax,  of  gamyn  and  gle. 

•  Some  reciters  repeat  it  thns, — 

"That  Englishman  lay  under  me," 
whieh  is  in  the  true  spirit  of  Blind  Harry,  who  makes  Wallace  say,— 
"I  better  like  to  see  the  Southeron  die, 
Than  gold  or  land,  that  they  can  gi'e  to  me." 
In  slaying  Edward,  Maitland  acts  pitilessly,  but  not  contrary  to  the  laws  of  arms, 
which  did  not  enjoin  a  knight  to  show  mercy  to  his  antagonist,  until  he  yielded  him, 
"rescue  or  no  rescue." 


SIB  WILLIAM  WALLACE.  413 


"  Ouro  gold  wes  changyd  Into  lede.— 
Cryst,  borne  in-to  virgynyte, 
Succour  Scotland,  and  remede, 
That  Btad  is  in  perplexyt^."  * 

Well  might  the  Scotish  nation  stand  aghast  as  it  beheld  the  mus- 
tering hosts  marshal  themselves  in  fierce  array  under  the  banner  of 
one  or  other  of  the  numerous  aspirants  after  the  vacant  throne,  and 
as  it  witnessed  the  wily  and  unprincipled  policy  of  the  able  but 
unscrupulous  English  king,  as  such  was  by  him  steadily  and  ruth- 
lessly developed. 

It  was  after  this  policy  had  culminated  in  the  defeat,  disgrace,  and 
imprisonment  of  BaJiol,  the  vassal  king — when  the  fortune  of  Scotland 
was  at  the  lowest  ebb,  and  her  position  as  an  independent  nation 
seemed  gone  for  ever — it  was  then  that  Wallace,  one  of  the  greatest 
and  noblest  patriots  the  world  has  ever  seen,  was  raised  up,  like  one 
of  the  deliverers  and  judges  of  the  Hebrew  people  of  old ;  and  it  was 
this  fondly-revered  champion  of  his  country's  liberty  who,  by  the 
might  of  his  strong  right  arm,  and  the  force  of  his  valiant  and  in- 
domitable example,  rolled  back  the  tide  of  Southern  invasion,  leaving 
Scotsmen  as  God  created  them  to  be — freemen. 

Modern  critics  may  sneer  and  cavil  at  the  apparently  superhuman 
exploits  of  the  Scotish  champion,  as  sung  by  the  Scotish  Homer;  but 
the  fact  remains,  that  Wallace,  with  his  small  but  trusty  band  of 
kindred-souled  compatriots,  baffled  the  skill  and  might  of  one  of  the 
ablest  monarchs  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  powerful 
nations  in  the  world ;  and  this  in  spite  of  the  jealousy,  treason,  and 
mendacity  of  the  Scotish  nobles,  who  thwarted  him  to  the  utmost 
of  their  power,  and  by  one  of  whom  he  was  ultimately  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  his  own  and  his  country's  enemy.  The  name  of  the 
"  false  Menteith."  who  basely  thus,  for  English  gold,  did  Judas-like 
betray  "  his  country's  savioui',"  is,  and  ever  shall  be,  execrated  and 
made  a  byeword  of  reproach  as  long  as  a  Scotsman  lives  and  breathes. 
It  forms  no  part  of  our  plan  to  follow  the  patriot-martyr  through  the 
chequered  events  of  his  career,  until  its  fatal  termination  on  an 
English  scaffold,  23d  August,  1305,  after  which  his  head  was  placed 
on  a  pole  on  London  bridge,  and  the  quarters  of  his  dismembered 
body  sent  respectively  to  Newcastle,  Berwick,  Perth,  and  Aberdeen. 

The  crowned  murderer,  no  doubt,  exulted  in  the  thought  that 
Scotish  independence  had  perished  with  his  victim ;  but  it  was  not 
so,  for — 

"Freedom's  battle  once  begun, 
Bequeath'd  by  bleeding  sire  to  son, 
Tho'  baffled  oft,  is  ever  won." 

And  thus — 

"  PVom  Wallace'  blood,  like  precious  seed-drops  shed, 
Sprang  up  fresh  patriots  in  his  steps  to  tread." 

Nay,  the  avenger  was  even  then  within  the  gates  of  the  English  king, 
in  the  person  of  Kobert  Bruce,  who,  on  the  27th  of  March,  1306,  was 

•  Winton'B  Cronykil.  voL  i..  p.  401.  The  elegiac  song  thus  preserved  is  supposed 
to  be  the  earliest  specimen  of  the  Scotish,  as  distinguished  from  the  Gaelic  language. 
But  if  Sir  Walter  Scott  be  correct  in  ascribing  the  authorship  of  Sir  Trisirem  to 
"  Thomas  the  fihymer,"  that  romance  would  of  course  take  precedence. 


414  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


crowned  at  Scone  as  King  of  Scotland,  and  who,  after  many  severe 
and  trying  struggles  and  vicissitudes,  fixed  the  liberty  and  indepen- 
dence of  his  country  on  a  firm  and  permanent  basis  by  the  great  and 
crowning  victory  of  Bannockbum. 

"The  industry  of  Henry  the  Minstrel  has,"  says  Motherwell, 
"  done  justice  to  the  history  of  the  Patriot  [Wallace] ;  and  it  is 
beUeved  that  in  his  heroick  poem  *  will  be  found  incorporated  all  the 
detached  songs,  founded  on  real  or  fabulous  incident,  which  were 
li\Tng  on  the  breath  of  tradition,  regarding  the  hero  at  the  time  Henry 
lived.  The  disappearance  of  these  detached  songs  can  be  ascribed  to 
no  other  cause  than  the  extreme  popularity  which  the  work  of  Henry 
has  acquired.  I  have  heard  it  as  a  byeword,  in  some  parts  of 
Stirlingshire,  that  a  collier's  library  consists  but  of  four  books  :  the 
Confession  of  Faith,  the  Bible,  a  bunch  of  ballads,  and  '  Sir  WiUiam 
Wallace  : '  the  first  for  the  gude-wife,  the  second  for  the  gude-man, 
the  third  for  their  daughter,  and  the  last  for  the  son — a  selection 
indicative  of  no  mean  taste  in  these  grim  moldwarps  of  humanity. 

"  No  ballads  relative  to  the  Bruce  and  his  chivalry  exist,  the 
celebrity  of  Barbour's  historick  poem  f  having,  in  the  course  of  time, 
wholly  swept  their  memory  away.  That  one,  who,  in  his  own  person 
and  fortunes,  realized  the  most  perfect  picture  we  have  of  a  '  Knight 
adventurous,'  and  who  seems  himself  to  have  had  a  very  lively 
relish  for  the  compositions  of  the  minstrel  muse,+  should  fail  being 
commemorated  in  song,  is  inconsistent  with  probability.  We  know 
that  a  herald,  in  a  solemn  feast,  being  desired  by  Edward  of  Carnarvon 
to  say,  what  three  knights  then  living  were  most  approved  in  arms, 
unhesitatingly  named  Bruce  as  one  of  the  number.  The  minstrel 
and  the  herald  were  at  that  period,  oftentimes,  one  and  the  same 
profession.  When  Bai'bour  wrote,  ballads  relative  to  this  period 
appear  to  have  been  common ;  for  the  poet,  speaking  of  certain 
'Thre  worthi  poyntis  of  wer,'  omits  the  particulars  of  the  'Thrid, 
which  fell  into  EsdaiU,'  being  a  victory  gained  by  '  Sch3'r  Johne  the 
Soullis'  over  '  Schyr  Andrew  Hardclay,'  for  this  reason : — 

'I  will  nocht  rehers  the  maner, 
For  wha  sa  likes  thai  may  her, 
Young  wemen  quhen  thai  will  play, 
Sing  it  amang  thaim  ilk  day.' 

"  'The  monkishe  rymes,  trufFes,  and  roundes,'  made  alternately 
by  the  Scottish  or  English,  as  either  side  prevailed,  and  of  which 
some  specimens  are  preserved  in  the  chronicles  of  the  latter,  do  not 
properly  belong  to  the  class  of  narrative  ballads.  §    These  rhymes,  it 

*  Wallace,  Dr.  Jamieson's  edition,  reprint,  Glasgow,  1869. 

t  The  Bruce,  Dr.  Jamieson's  edition,  reprint,  Glasgow,  1869. 

t  "  Barbour  gives  an  interesting  account  of  him,  in  one  instance  comforting  his 
followers  by  reading  to  them  portions  of  the  Romance  of  Ferumbrace,  and  on  another 
occasion,  of  being  accustomed  to  tell  them 

'Auld  storyis  of  men  that  wer 

Set  in  tyll  assasds  ser.' '" — MotherwelL 

§  The  Scotish  portion  of  the  satirical  songs  or  pasqnils  here  referred  to,  may  be 
found  quoted  in  the  companion  volume,  Songs  of  Scotland,  Chronologically  Arranged, 
Introduction,  pp.  iii.  and  iv. 


SIR  WILLIAM  WALLACE.  415 


may  be  stated,  are  written  in  what  is  called  the  'ryme  cowee,'  and 
which  appears  to  have  borne  a  marked  resemblance  to  that  descrip- 
tion of  metrical  abuse  styled  '  Flyting '  by  our  Scottish  Makers,  of 
which  we  have  some  notable  examples  in  the  poeticl  encounters  of 
Dunbar  and  Kennedy, *and  Montgomery  and  Hiune."a — Motherwell's 
Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  pp.  xlvi.-viii. 

Now  that  "  these  cruel  wars  are  over,"  and  Scotland  united  with 
England  and  Ireland,  on  free  and  equal  terms,  as  portions  of  one 
great  nation,  let  us  trust  that  every  Englishman,  Irishman,  ay,  and 
every  American — yea,  every  lover  of  fair  play  and  liberty  all  the 
world  over — will  respond  to  the  poetic  prayer  of  the  Scotish  bard, 
Kobert  Burns : — 

"  O  Thoul  who  ponr'd  the  patriotic  tide 

That  stream'd  thro'  Wallace's  undaunted  heart; 
Who  dared,  so  nobly,  stem  tyrannic  pride, 

Or  nobly  die,  the  second  glorious  part, 

(The  patriot's  God  peculiarly  thou  art, 
His  friend,  inspirer,  guardian,  and  reward !) 

Oh,  never,  never  Scotia's  realm  desert : 
But  still  the  patriot,  and  the  patriot  bard. 
In  bright  succession  raise,  her  ornament  and  guard."  % 

The  two  ballads  which  follow  appear  to  be  derived  respectivel 
from  Blind  Harry's  Wallace,  books  iv.  and  v. 

Of  that  first  given,  there  are  two  versions,  namely : — 

I.   "  Sir  William  Wallace,"  in  the  Thistle  of  Scotland,  pr  100. 
II.   "Wallace  and  his  Leman,"  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads, 
&c.,  voL  ii.,  p.  226. 

The  text  is  taken  from  version  I. ,  -with  the  exception  of  stanza  15, 
which  is  given  from  version  II.,  as  are  also  other  stanzas  noted  under 
the  text  as  variations. 

Both  conclude  with  portions  of  the  ballad  which  comes  next  in 
order,  and  of  which  fuller  versions  appeared  as  under  : — 

I.  In  Johnson's  Musical  Museum,  vol.  v.,  p.  498.     As  com- 
municated by  Burns. 

XL  In  the  Illustrations  or  Notes  to  Johnson's  Museum,  p.  458*, 
as  given  by  Mr.  D.  Laing,  from  a  copy  which  "  appeared 
in  a  common  chap  form,  along  with  some  Jacobite  ballads, 
printed  about  the  year  1750." 

III.  Under  the  title  of  "Willie  Wallace,"  in  Buchan's  Glean- 
ings, p.  114,  as  "  taken  down  from  an  itinerant  tinker  and 
gypsey." 

The  same  ballad  is  also  given  by  Jamieson   and  by 
Finlay,    in    their    respective    collections,   and  by  Allan 
Cunningham,  with  editorial  additions  and  embellishments, 
in  The  Songs  of  Scotlaml. 
Mr.  Buchan's  version  (III.)  is  the  one  here  printed  under  the  title 
of  "  Gude  Wallace ; "  but  it  has  received  a  few  emendations. 
*  See  Dunbar's  Poemt,  edited  by  Mr.  David  Laing. 
t  See  Watson's  Collection  of  Scots  Poems,  reprint,  Glasgow,  1869. 
J  "The  Cotter's  Saturday  Night,"  last  stanza. 


416  BALLAD  MINSTRELST   OF  SCOTLAND. 


1  Wou'd  ye  hear  of  William  Wallace, 

And  seek  him  as  he  goes, 
Into  the  land  of  Lanark, 
Amang  hia  mortal  foes  ? 

2  There  were  fifteen  English  sogers 

Unto  his  ladye  came, 
Said — "  Gi'e  us  William  Wallace, 
That  we  may  have  him  slain. 

3  "  Wou'd  ye  gi'e  William  Wallace, 

That  we  may  have  him  slain  ? 
And  ye'se  be  wedded  to  a  lord, 
The  best  in  Christendeem." 

4  "  This  very  night,  at  seven. 

Brave  Wallace  will  come  in. 
And  he'll  come  to  my  chamber  door, 
Without  or  dread  or  din." 

5  The  fifteen  English  sogers 

Around  the  house  did  wait ; 
And  four  brave  Southron  foragers 
Stood  hie  upon  the  gait. 

6  That  very  night,  at  seven. 

Brave  Wallace  he  came  in. 
And  he  came  to  his  ladye's  bow'r 
Withouten  dread  or  din.* 

7  When  she  beheld  brave  Wallace, 

And  stared  him  in  the  face — 
"Ohon,  alas!"  said  that  ladye, 
"  This  is  a  woeful  case. 

8  "  For  I  this  night  have  sold  you, 

This  night  you  must  be  ta'en ; 
And  I'm  to  be  wedded  to  a  lord, 
The  best  in  Christendeem." 

9  "Do  you  repent,"  said  Wallace, 

"  The  ill  you've  done  to  me?" 
"  Ay,  that  I  do,"  said  that  ladye, 
"  And  will  do  till  I  dee. 

*  Mr.  Buchaii's  version  begins — 

"  Wallace  wight,  npon  a  night. 
Came  riding  o'er  the  linn; 
And  he  is  to  his  leman's  bow'r. 
And  tirl'd  at  the  pin." 


SIR  Wft-LIAM  WALLACE.  417 


10  "  Ay,  that  I  do,"  said  that  ladye, 

"And  will  do  ever  still; 
And  for  the  ill  I've  done  to  you, 
Let  me  burn  upon  a  hill." 

11  "  Now,  God  forfend,"  says  brave  Wallace, 

"  I  should  be  so  unkind; 
Whatever  I  am  to  Scotland's  faes, 
I'm  aye  a  woman's  friend. 

12  "  Will  ye  gi'e  me  your  gown,  your  gOAvn, 

Your  gown  but  and  your  kirtle, 
Your  petticoat  of  bonnie  brown, 
And  belt  about  my  middle? 

13  "  I'll  take  a  pitcher  in  ilka  hand, 

And  do  me  to  the  well; 
They'll  think  I'm  one  of  your  maidens, 
Or  think  it  is  yoursel'." 

14  She  has  gi'en  him  her  gown,  her  gown, 

Her  petticoat  and  kirtle ; 
Her  broadest  belt  with  silver  clasps, 
To  bind  about  his  middle. 

15  [Then  he  ga'e  her  a  loving  kiss. 

The  tear  dropp'd  frae  his  e'e; 
Says —  "  Fare  ye  well  for  evermair, 
Your  face  I'll  nae  mair  see."]* 

16  He  's  ta'en  a  pitcher  in  ilka  hand, 

And  done  him  to  the  well; 
They  thought  him  one  of  her  maidens. 
They  kenn'd  'twas  not  hersel'.f 

17  Said  one  of  the  Southron  foragers, — 

"  See  ye  yon  lusty  dame? 
I  wou'd  nae  gi'e  meikle  to  thee,  neebor. 
To  bring  her  back  again." 

18  Then  all  the  Southrons  follow'd  hiin, 

They  follow'd  him  all  four; 
But  he  has  drawn  his  trusty  brand, 
And  slain  them  pair  by  pair. 

*  Inserted  from  Mr.  Buchan's  version. 

t  "  She  dress'd  him  in  her  ain  claithlng, 
And  frae  her  house  he  came, 
Which  made  the  Englishmen  admire 
To  see  this  stalwart  dame." — Buchan's  version. 

2e 


418  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


GUDE  WALLACE. 

1  Wallace  was  in  the  high  Highlands, 

Neither  meat  nor  drink  got  he ; 

Said — "Fa'*  me  life,  or  fa'  me  death, 

Now  to  some  town  I  maun  be." 

2  He  has  put  on  his  short  cleiding. 

And  on  his  short  cleiding  put  he; 
Says — "  Fa'  me  life,  or  fa'  me  death. 
Now  to  Saint  Johnstoun's  f  I  maun  be." 

3  Then  he  cross'd  o'er  the  river  Tay, 

On  to  the  North  Inch  steppit  he ; 
And  he  was  'ware  of  a  weel-faur'd  May, 
Was  washing  there  aneath  a  tree. 

4  "  What  news,  what  news,  ye  weel-faur'd  May, 

What  news  ha'e  ye  this  day  to  me? 
What  news,  what  news,  ye  weel-faur'd  May, 
What  news  ha'e  ye  in  the  South  countrie?" 

5  "  Nae  news,  nae  news,  ye  gentle  knight, 

Nae  news  ha'e  I  this  day  to  thee ; 

But  fifteen  lords  in  yon  hostler-house, 

Waiting  Gude  Wallace  for  to  see." 

6  "  If  I  had  but  in  my  pocket 

The  worth  of  one  single  pennie, 
I  wou'd  go  to  the  hostler-house. 
These  fifteen  Englishmen  to  see." 

7  She  put  her  hand  in  her  pocket. 

And  she  has  puU'd  out  half-a-crown ; 

Says — "  Take  ye  that,  ye  belted  knight, 

And  with  it  pay  your  lawin'  down." 

8  As  he  went  frae  the  weel-faur'd  May, 

A  beggar  bauld  I  wot  met  he. 

Was  cover'd  with  a  clouted  J  cloak, 

And  in  his  hand  a  trusty  tree. 

9  "  What  news,  what  news,  ye  silly  auld  man. 

What  news  ha'e  ye  this  day  to  gi'e? 
What  news,  what  news,  ye  silly  auld  man. 
What  news  ha'e  ye  in  the  South  countrie?" 

*  "  Fa' : "  befalL  t  Perth.  i  "  Clouted : "  patched. 


GUDE  WALLACE.  419 


10  "  111  news,  ill  news,  ye  belted  knight, 

111  news  ha'e  I  to  tell  to  thee; 
For  there 's  fifteen  lords  in  yon  hostler-house, 
Waiting  Gude  Wallace  for  to  see." 

11  "  Ye'll  lend  to  me  your  clouted  cloak, 

That  covers  you  frae  head  to  knee, 
And  I'll  gang  to  the  hostler-house, 
To  ask  of  them  for  some  supplie," 

12  Now  he 's  gane  to  the  West-muir  wood, 

And  there  he  pull'd  a  trusty  tree, 
And  then  he 's  on  to  the  hostler-house, 
Asking  them  there  for  charitie. 

13  Down  the  stair  the  captain  comes, 

Aye  the  puir  man  for  to  see; 
"  If  ye  be  a  captain  as  gude  as  ye  look, 
Ye'll  gi'e  a  puir  man  some  supplie." 

14  "  Where  were  ye  bom,  ye  crooked  carle? 

Where  were  ye  born?  in  what  countrie?" 
"  In  fair  Scotland  here  I  was  born, 
Crooked  carle,  as  ye  call  me." 

15  "  Oh,  I  wou'd  gi'e  ye  fifty  pounds 

Of  gold  and  of  the  white  monie; 
Oh,  I  wou'd  gi'e  ye  fifty  pounds, 

If  the  traitor  Wallace  ye'd  let  me  see." 

16  "  Tell  down  your  monie,"  said  Gude  Wallace, 

"  Tell  down  your  monie,  if  it  be  gude; 
For  I'm  sure  I  ha'e  it  in  my  pow'r, 
And  I  never  had  a  better  bode.* 

17  "  Tell  down  your  monie,  if  it  be  gude, 

And  let  me  see  if  it  be  fine ; 
I'm  sure  I  ha'e  it  in  my  pow'r 

To  bring  the  traitor,  Wallace,  in." 

18  The  monie  was  told  down  on  the  table, 

Silver  and  gold  of  pounds  fiftie ; 
"  Now,  here  I  stand,"  said  Gude  Wallace, 
"  And  what  ha'e  ye  to  say  to  me  ?  " 

19  He  fell'd  the  captain  where  he  stood, 

With  a  downright  stroke  upon  the  floor ; 
He  slew  the  rest  around  the  room. 
And  ask'd  if  there  were  any  more. 
*  "Bode: "  offer. 


420  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


20  "  Come,  cover  the  table,"  said  Gude  Wallace, 

"  Come,  cover  the  table,  now  make  haste ; 
For  it  will  soon  be  three  lang  daj'^s 
Since  I  a  bit  of  meat  did  taste." 

21  The  table  it  was  scarcely  cover'd, 

Nor  yet  had  he  sat  down  to  dine, 
Till  fifteen  more  of  the  English  lords 
Surrounded  the  house  where  he  was  in. 

22  "  Come  out,  come  out,  thou  traitor,  Wallace, 

This  is  the  day  that  ye  maun  dee  ! " 
"  I  lippen*  nae  sae  little  to  God,"  he  says, 
"  Altho'  I  be  but  little  wordie."t 

23  The  gudewife  she  ran  but  J  the  floor, 

And  aye  the  gudeman  he  ran  ben; 

From  eight  o'clock  till  four  at  noon, 

Wallace  has  kill'd  full  thirty  men. 

24  He  put  his  faes  in  sic  a  swither,  § 

That  five  of  them  he  stickit  dead ; 
Five  of  them  he  drowu'd  in  the  river. 

And  five  he  hung  in  the  West-muir  wood. 

25  Then  he  is  on  to  the  North  Inch  gane, 

Where  the  May  was  washing  tenderly  : 
"  Now,  by  my  sooth,"  said  Gude  Wallace, 
"  It 's  been  a  sair  day's  wark  to  me ! " 

26  He  's  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket. 

And  he  has  pull'd  out  twenty  pound; 
Says — "  Take  ye  that,  ye  weel-faured  May, 
For  the  gude  luck  of  your  half-crown! " 


THE  BATTLE  OF  ROSLINE. 

Copied  from  a  Glasgow  chap-book,  "  printed  by  J.  and  M.  Robert- 
son, Saltmarket,  1803. "     It  is  prefaced  thus : — 

"  The  famous  battle  of  Rosline,  fought  on  the  plains  of  Rosline, 
Anno  Dom.  1303,  ||  about  five  miles  south  of  Edinburgh,  where  10,000 

•  "  Lippen : "  tnist 

t  This  stanza  is  taken  from  Jamieson's  version. 

t  "But,"  the  outer,  and  "ben,"  the  inner  apartment  of  a  house  or  cottage. 
5  '"Swither:"  perplexity. 

II  "Langtoft  is  open  and  candid  as  to  the  entire  defeat  of  the  Englisli."  For 
"  the  curious  and  minute  account  given  by  "  him,  see  his  work,  vol  ii^  p.  319. 


THE  BATTLE   OF  EOSLINE.  421 


Scots,  led  by  Sir  John  Cummin  and  Sir  Simon  Fraser,  defeated  in 
three  battles,  in  one  day,  30,000  of  their  [English]  enemies." 

Mr.  Maidment,  in  his  Scotish  Ballads  and  Songs,  p.  148,  prints 
the  same  ballad  from  one  "dated  Edinburgh,  1785."  They  agree 
minutely;  but  the  Glasgow  edition  has  three  lines  more  than  the 
other;  which  three  lines  are  necessaiy,  in  order  to  preserve  the 
uniformity  of  the  stanzas. 

Some  of  the  early  English  historians  state  that  Wallace  led  the 
Scotish  army  which  achieved  this  triad  of  victories ;  but  others,  as 
also  the  Scotish  historians,  make  no  mention  of  him  in  connection 
therewith. 

The  English  armies  seem  to  have  been  commanded  respectively  by 
John  de  Segrave ;  by  Ralph  de  Manton,  called,  from  his  office,  Ralph 
the  Cofferer ;  and  by  Sir  Robert  Neville — all  of  whom  appear  to  have 
fallen.  Some  of  the  Scotish  nobles  then  in  France,  on  hearing  of  this 
exploit,  "  addressed  a  letter  to  the  governor  and  nobility  of  Scotland, 
in  which  they  exhorted  them  to  be  of  good  courage,  and  to  persevere 
in  vindicating  the  liberties  of  their  country.  '  You  would  greatly 
rejoice,'  they  say  in  this  letter,  '  if  you  were  aware  what  a  weight  of 
honour  this  last  conflict  with  the  English  has  conferred  upon  you 
throughout  the  world.' "  * 

Sir  Simon  Fraser,  the  hero  of  this  achievement,  and  compatriot 
of  Wallace,  was  ultimately  taken  prisoner  near  Stirling,  a.d.  1306. 
"  He  was  carried  to  London,  heavily  ironed,  with  his  legs  tied  under 
his  horse's  belly,  and,  as  he  passed  through  the  city,  a  garland  of 
periwinkles  was  in  mockery  placed  upon  his  head.  .  .  Fraser  was 
tried  and  condemned,  after  which  he  suffered  the  death  of  a  traitor, 
with  all  its  circumstances  of  refined  cruelty.  He  was  hanged,  cut 
down  when  still  living,  and  beheaded ;  his  bowels  were  then  torn  out 
and  burned,, and  his  head  fixed  beside  that  of  Wallace,  upon  London 
Bridge."  + 

"A  long  ballad  against  the  Scotch,  written  upon  the  execution  of 
Sir  Simon  Fraser,  1306,  from  a  manuscript  of  that  time,  Harl.  Lib. 
2253,  f.  V.  59,"  appears  in  Ancient  Scotish  Poems  (printed  by  Pinker- 
ton,  from  the  Maitland  MSS.),  vol.  ii.,  Appendix,  article  iv.,  p.  488. 

1  Leave  off  your  tittle  tattle, 
And  I'll  tell  you  of  a  battle, 
Where  claymore  and  targe  did  rattle, 

At  Rosline  on  the  Lee: 
Ten  thousand  Scottish  laddies, 
Drest  in  their  tartan  plaidies, 
With  blue  bonnets  and  cockadies — 

A  pleasant  sight  to  see. 

*  "Eymer,  Foed.,  vol.  i.,  new  edit.,  p.  955.  June  8,  1303,"  as  quoted  by  Tytler, 
History  of  Scotland,  voL  i.  (new  edit.,  1866),  p.  172. 

tTytler'8  History  o1  Scotland,  voL  i.,  p.  217,  edit.  18GG;  as  given  on  the  authority 
of  Matthew  Westminster. 


422  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  Led  *  by  Sir  Simon  Fraser, 
Who  was  as  bold  as  Cassar, 
Great  Alexander  never 

Could  exceed  that  Hero  bold.f 
And  by  brave  Sir  John  Cummin. 
When  he  saw  the  foes  a-coming, 
Set  the  bagpipes  all  a-bumming, 

"  Stand  firm,  my  hearts  of  gold  1 " 

3  Ten  thousand  English  advancing, 
See  how  their  arms  are  glancing  ; 
We'll  set  them  all  a-dancing 

At  Eosline  on  the  Lee. 
Like  furies  our  brave  Highland  men 
Most  boldly  they  engaged  them, 
On  field  they  durst  no  longer  stand, 

They  soon  began  to  flee. 

4  They  rush'd  into  the  battle, 
Made  sword  and  targe  to  rattle. 
Which  made  their  foes  to  startle — 

They  fell  dead  on  the  ground. 
Our  army  gave  a  loud  huzza, 
Our  Highland  lads  have  won  the  day, 
On  field  they  I  durst  no  longer  stay; 

See  how  the  cowards  run ! 

5  This  battle  was  no  sooner  over, 
Than  ten  thousand  of  the  other 
Came  marching  in  good  order, 

Most,boldly  for  to  fight. 
Their  colours  were  displaying. 
Their  horse  foaming  and  braying. 
Their  generals  are  saying, 

"We'll  soon  put  them  to  flight." 

6  But  our  bowmen  gave  a  volley, 
Made  them  repent  their  folly  ; 
They  soon  turn'd  melancholy. 

And  stagger'd  to  and  fro. 

*  The  chap  copies  read  "  commanded." 

t  The  late  Mr.  MacQregor  Simpson,  Scotieh  vocalist,  dressed  "  in  the  garb  of  old 
Gaul,"  used  to  sing  this  piece  with  bagpipe  prelude  or  accompaniment 

If  the  writer  remembers  rightly,  it  was  sung  with  varialions,  the  third  and  fourth 
lines  of  stanza  2  being  changed  to— 

"  Or  as  old  Nebuchadnezzar, 

Those  heroes  stout  and  bold." 

Or  something  very  similar. 
t  The  enemy. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  EOSLINE.  423 


Our  spearmen  then  engaged, 
Their  rage  they  soon  assuaged,* 
Like  lions  our  heroes  rag&d, 
Death  dealt  at  every  blow. 

7  For  one  hour  and  a  quarter 
There  was  a  bloody  slaughter, 
Till  the  enemies  cry'd  quarter,'}' 

And  in  confusion  flee. 
Our  general  says — "Don't  pursue; 
Ten  thousand  more  are  come  in  view; 
Take  courage,  lads,  our  hearts  are  true, 

And  beat  your  enemy !  " 

8  Then  thinking  for  to  cross  us, 
They  rallying  all  their  forces, 
Both  of  foot  and  horses. 

To  make  the  last  attempt. 
The  Scots  cry'd  out  with  bravery, 
*'  We  disdain  their  English  knavery,  J 
We'll  ne'er  be  brought  to  slavery. 

Till  our  last  blood  is  spent." 

9  With  fresh  courage  they  did  engage, 
And  manfully  made  for  the  charge, 
With  their  broadsword  and  their  targe. 

Most  boldly  then  they  stood. 
The  third  battle  it  was  very  sore. 
Thousands  lay  reeking  in  their  gore, 
The  like  was  never  seen  before, 

The  fields  did  swim  with  blood. 

10  The  English  could  no  longer  stay. 
In  great  confusion  fled  away. 
And  sore  they  do  lament  the  day 

That  they  came  there  to  fight. 
Cummin  cry'd — "  Chase  them,  do  not  spare, 
Quick  as  the  hound  doth  chase  the  hare;" 
And  many  were  §  ta'en  prisoners  [there], 

That  day  upon  the  flight. 

11  The  Douglas,  Campbell,  and  the  Hay, 
The  Gordons  from  the  water  Spey, 
So  boldly  as  they  fought  that  day 

With  the  brave  Montgomery. 

•  This  and  the  preceding  line  do  not  appear  in  Mr.  Maidment's  copy, 
t  This,  it  appears,  they  did  not  receive,  the  Scots  being  too  numerically  weak  to 
hold  prisoners  and  light  the  new  army. 
t  This  line  does  not  appear  in  Mr.  Maidment's  copy. 
J  The  chap  copies  read  "  one"  in  place  of  "  were." 


424  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


The  Kers  and  Murrays  of  renown, 
The  Keiths,  Boyds,  and  Hamiltous, 
They  brought  their  foes  down  to  the  ground, 
And  fought  with  bravery. 

12     Sound,  sound  the  music,  sound  it, 
Let  hills  and  dales  rebound  it, 
Fill  up  the  glass,  and  round  wi't, 

In  praise  of  our  heroes  bold. 
If  Scotsmen  were  always  true, 
We'd  make  our  enemies  to  rue; 
But,  alas !  we're  not  all  true  blue, 

As  we  were  in  days  of  old. 


BATTLE  OF  OTTERBOURNE. 

"The  Scottish  edition,"  from  Scott's  Minstrels]/,  vol.  i.,  p.  354. 

"  The  following  ballad  of  the  battle  of  Otterbourne,  being  essentially 
different  from  that  which  is  published  in  the  Meliques  of  Ancient 
Poetry,  vol.  i.,  and  being  ob\dously  of  Scottish  composition,  claims 
a  place  in  the  present  collection.  The  particulars  of  that  noted 
action  are  related  by  Froissart,  with  the  highest  encomiums  upon  the 
valour  of  the  combatants  on  each  side.  James,  Earl  of  Douglas,  with 
his  brother,  the  Earl  of  Murray,  in  1387,  invaded  Northumberland,  at 
the  head  of  3,000  men,  while  the  Earls  of  Fife  and  Strathern,  sons  to 
the  king  of  Scotland,  ravaged  the  western  borders  of  England,  witli 
a  still  more  numerous  army.  Douglas  penetrated  as  far  as  Newcastle, 
where  the  renowned  Hotspur  lay  in  garrison.  In  a  skirmish  before 
the  walls,  Percy's  lance,  with  the  pennon,  or  guidon,  attached  to  it, 
was  taken  by  Douglas — as  most  authors  affirm,  in  a  personal  en- 
counter betwixt  the  two  heroes.  The  earl  shook  the  pennon  aloft, 
and  swore  he  would  carry  it  as  his  spoil  into  Scotland,  and  plant  it 
upon  his  castle  at  Dalkeith.  'That,'  answered  Percy,  'shalt  thou 
never ! '  Accordingly,  having  collected  the  forces  of  the  marches,  to 
a  number  equal,  or  (according  to  the  Scottish  historians)  much 
superior,  to  the  army  of  Douglas,  Hotspur  made  a  night  attack  upon 
the  Scottish  camp  at  Otterbourne,  about  thirty -two  miles  from  New- 
castle. An  action  took  place,  fought  by  moonlight,  with  uncommon 
gallantry  and  desperation.  At  length,  Douglas,  armed  v,^ith  an  iron 
mace,  which  few  but  he  could  wield,  rushed  into  the  thickest  of  the 
EngUsh  battalions,  followed  only  by  his  chaplain,  and  two  squires  of 
his  body.*  Before  his  followers  could  come  up,  their  brave  leader 
was  stretched  on  the  ground,  with  three  mortal  wounds ;  his  squires 
lay  dead  by  his  side ;  the  priest  alone,  armed  with  a  lance,  was  pro- 

*  Their  names  were  Eobert  Hart  and  Simon  Glendinning.  The  chaplain  was 
Bichard  Lundie,  afterwards  archdeacon  of  Aberdeen. — God'Crofl.  Hart,  according 
to  Wintoun,  was  a  knight    That  historian  says,  no  one  knew  how  Douglas  fell. 


BATTLE  OF  OTTERBOURNE.  425 


tecting  his  master  from  further  injury.  '  I  die  like  my  forefathers,' 
said  the  expiring  hero,  '  in  a  field  of  battle,  and  not  on  a  bed  of  sick- 
ness. Conceal  my  death,  defend  my  standard,*  and  avenge  my  fall! 
it  is  an  old  proi)hecy,  that  a  dead  man  shall  gain  a  field,  t  and  I 
hope  it  will  be  accomplished  this  mght.^ —Godscroft.  With  these 
words  he  expired ;  and  the  fight  was  renewed  with  double  obstinacy 
around  his  body.  When  morning  appeared,  however,  victory  began 
to  incline  to  the  Scottish  side.  Ralph  Percy,  brother  to  Hotspur, 
was  made  prisoner  by  the  Earl  Mare.schal,  and  shortly  after,  Harry 
Percy  J  himself  was  taken  by  Lord  Montgomery.  The  number  of 
captives,  according  to  Wintoun,  nearly  equalled  that  of  the  victors. 
Upon  this  the  English  retired,  and  left  the  Scots  masters  of  the  dear- 
bought  honours  of  the  field.  But  the  Bishop  of  Durham  approaching 
at  the  head  of  a  body  of  fresh  forces,  not  only  checked  the  pursuit 
of  the  victors,  but  made  prisoners  of  some  of  the  stragglers,  who  had 
urged  the  chase  too  far.  The  battle  was  not,  however,  renewed,  as 
the  Bishop  of  Durham  did  not  venture  to  attempt  the  rescue  of  Percy. 
The  field  was  fought  15th  August,  1388. — Fordun,  Froissart,  Holm- 
shed,  Godscroft. 

"The  ground  on  which  this  memorable  engagement  took  place 
still  retains  the  name  of  Battle-Cross.  A  cross,  erroneously  termed 
Percy's  Cross,  has  been  erected  upon  the  spot  where  the  gallant 
Earl  of  Douglas  is  supposed  to  have  fallen.  The  Castle  of  Otterbourne, 
which  was  besieged  by  Douglas,  with  its  demesne  lands,  .  .  .  [and] 
a  neighbouring  eminence  called  Fawdoun  Hill,  on  which  may  yet  be 
discerned  the  vestiges  of  the  Scottish  camp,  agreeing  with  the  des- 
cription of  the  ballad,  'They  lighted  high  on  Otterbourn.'  Earl's 
Meadows,  containing  a  fine  spring,  called  Percy's  Well,  are  a  part 
of  the  same  grounds,  and  probably  derive  their  name  from  the 
battle.  The  camp  on  Fawdoun  Hill  is  a  mile  distant  from  Battle- 
Cross  ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  various  changes  of  position 
and  of  fortune,  during  so  long  and  fierce  an  engagement  between  two 
considerable  armies,  must  have  extended  the  conflict  over  all  the 
vicinity. 

"  The  ballad  published  in  the  Reliques,  is  avowedly  an  English  pro- 
duction, and  the  author,  with  a  natural  partiality,  leans  to  the  side 
of  his  countrymen ;  yet  that  ballad,  or  some  one  similar,  modified 
probably  by  national  prejudice,  must  have  been  current  in  Scotland 
during  the  reign  of  James  VI.;  for  Godscroft,  in  treating  of  this 
battle,  mentions  its  having  been  the  subject  of  popular  song,  and 
proceeds  thus  :  '  But  that  which  is  commonly  sung  of  the  "Hunting 
of  Cheviot,"  seemeth  indeed  poetical,  and  a  mere  fiction,  perhaps  to 
stir  up  virtue;  yet  a  fiction  whereof  there  is  no  mention,  either  in  the 

*  The  banner  of  Donglas,  npon  this  memorable  occasion,  was  borne  by  his  natural 
son,  Archibald  Douglas,  ancestor  of  the  family  of  Cavers,  hereditary  Sheriffs  of 
Teviotdale,  amongst  whose  archives  this  glorious  relic  is  still  preserved.  The  earl, 
at  his  onset,  is  said  to  have  charged  his  son  to  defend  it  to  the  last  drop  of  •his 
blood. 

t  This  prophecy  occurs  in  the  ballad  as  an  ominous  dream. 

X  Hotspur,  for  his  ransom,  built  the  Castle  of  Penoon,  in  Ayrshire,  belonging  to 
the  family  of  iiontgomery,  now  Earls  of  EgUntouo. 


426  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Scottish  or  English  chronicle.*  Neither  are  the  songs  that  are  made 
of  them  both  one ;  for  the  Scots  song  made  of  Otterbourne  telleth  the 
time,  about  Lammas ;  and  also  the  occasion,  to  take  preys  out  of 
England;  also  the  dividing  armies  betwixt  the  Earls  of  Fife  and 
Douglas,  and  their  several  journeys,  almost  as  in  the  authentic  his- 
tory.    It  beginneth  thus : — 

"  It  fell  about  the  Lammas  tide, 
When  yeomen  win  their  hay, 
The  dochty  Douglas  'gan  to  ride, 
In  England  to  take  a  prey."  ' 

Godscroft,  ed.  Edin.,  1743,  voL  i.,  p.  195. 

"  I  cannot  venture  to  assert,  that  the  stanzas,  here  published, 
Oelong  to  the  ballad  alluded  to  by  Godscroft ;  but  they  come  much 
nearer  to  his  description  than  the  copy  published  in  the  first  edition,t 
•which  represented  Douglas  as  falling  by  the  poniard  of  a  faithless  page. 
Yet  we  learn  from  the  same  author,  that  the  story  of  the  assassination 
was  not  without  foundation  in  tradition. — '  There  are  that  say,  that 
he  [Douglas]  was  not  slain  by  the  enemy,  but  by  one  of  his  own  men, 
a  groom  of  his  chamber,  whom  he  had  struck  the  day  before  with  a 
truncheon,  in  ordering  of  the  battle,  because  he  saw  him  make  some- 
what slowly  to.  And  they  name  this  man  John  Bickerton  of  Luffness, 
who  left  a  part  of  his  armour  behind  unfastened,  and  when  he  was  in 
the  greatest  conflict,  this  servant  of  his  came  behind  his  back,  and 
slew  him  thereat.'— (rodscro/i!,  ut  supra. — 'But  this  narration,'  adds 
the  historian,   '  is  not  so  probable.'  J     Indeed,  it  seems  to  have  no 

*  ["The  Hunting  of  Cheviot,"  or  "Chevy  Chace,"  of  which,  properly  speaking,  only 
English  versions  now  exist,  probably  refers  to  the  battle  of  Pepperden,  fought  between 
the  Scots  under  the  Earl  of  Angus,  and  the  English  under  the  Earl  of  Northumber- 
land, A.D.  1436.    The  Scots  were  the  victors,  as  at  Otterbourne.] 

t  "  Out  then  spoke  a  bonny  boy, 

That  serv'd  ane  o'  Earl  Douglas'  kin— 
'Methinks  I  see  an  English  host 
A-coming  branking  us  upon.' 
"  '  If  this  be  true,  thou  little  foot  page. 
It  this  be  true  thou  tells  to  me, 
The  brawest  bower  in  Otterbourne 
Shall  be  thy  morning's  fee. 
"  'But  if  it  be  false,  thou  little  boy! 
But  and  a  lie  thou  tells  to  me, 
On  the  highest  tree  in  Otterbourne, 
Wi'  my  ain  hands,  I'll  hang  thee  hie ! ' 
"  The  boy  has  ta'en  out  his  little  penknife 
That  hung  right  low  down  by  his  gare. 
And  he  gave  Lord  Douglas  a  deadly  wound, 
I  wot  a  deep  wound  and  a  sare. 
"Earl  Douglas  to  the  Montgomery  said, 
'  Take  thou  the  vanguard  of  the  three; 
And  bury  me  by  the  braken  bush. 
That  grows  upon  yon  Ulye  lee.' " 

Minstrelsy,  1st  edit,  vol.  L,  p.  32. 
[And  substantially  the  same  in  Herd.] 
J  Wintoun  assigns  another  cause  for  Douglas  being  carelessly  armed-— 
"  The  Erie  Jamys  was  sa  besy. 
For  till  ordane  his  company. 
And  on  his  fays  for  to  pas. 
That  reckles  he  of  his  armyng  was: 
The  Erie  of  Mwrrawys  bassenet, 

Thai  sayd,  at  thottyme  was  ferryhete." — Book  viii.,  chap.  7. 
The  circumstance  of  Douglas'  omitting  to  put  on  his  helmet  occurs  in  the  ballad. 


BATTLE  OF  OTTERBOURNE.  427 


foundation,  but  the  common  desire  of  assigning  some  remote  and 
extraordinary  cause  for  the  death  of  a  great  man.  The  following 
ballad  is  also  inaccurate  in  many  other  particulars,  and  is  much 
shorter  and  more  indistinct,  than  that  printed  in  the  ReMques,  al- 
though many  verses  are  almost  the  same.  Hotspur,  for  instance,  is 
called  Earl  Percy,  a  title  he  never  enjoyed.  Neither  was  Douglas 
buried  on  the  field  of  battle,  but  in  Melrose  Abbey,  where  his  tomb  is 
still  shown. 

"This  song  was  first  published  from  Mr.  Herd's  Collection  of 
Scottish  Songs  and  Ballads,  Edinburgh,  1776,  2  vols,  octavo ;  but  for- 
tunately two  copies  have  since  been  obtained  from  the  recitation  of 
old  persons  residing  at  the  head  of  Ettrick  Forest,  by  which  the 
story  is  brought  out,  and  completed  in  a  manner  much  more  con  e- 
spondent  to  the  true  history. 

"  I  cannot  dismiss  the  subject  of  the  battle  of  Otterboume  without 
stating  (with  all  the  deference  due  to  the  father  of  this  species  of 
literature)  some  doubts  which  have  occurred  to  an  ingenious  corre- 
spondent, and  an  excellent  antiquary,  concerning  the  remarks  on  the 
names  subjoined  to  the  ballads  of  '  Chevy  Cbace '  and  '  Otterboume,' 
in  the  Reliques  of  A  ncient  Poetry,  vol.  i.,  p.  34,  Ith  edition. 

"'John  de  Lovele,  sheriff  of  Northumberland,  34th  Hen.  VII.,'  is 
evidently  a  mistake,  as  Henry  VII.  did  not  reign  quite  twenty -four 
years ;  but  the  person  meant  was  probably  John  de  Lavale,  knight, 
of  Delavale  Castle,  who  was  sheriff,  34th  Henry  VIII.  There  seems 
little  doubt  that  this  was  the  person  called  in  the  ballad  'the 
gentil  Lovel.'  Sir  Eaff  the  rich  Eugbe,  was  probably  Sir  Ralph 
Neville  of  Eaby  Castle,  son  of  the  first  Earl  of  Westmoreland,  and 
cousin-german  to  Hotspur.  In  the  more  modern  edition  of  the 
ballad,  he  is  expressly  called  Sir  Ralph  Eaby,  i.  e. ,  of  Raby. 

"  With  respect  to  the  march  of  Douglas,  as  described  in  the  ballad, 
it  appears  that  he  entered  Northumberland  from  the  westward. 
Redesdale,  Rothely-crags,  and  Green  Leighton,  are  a  few  miles  east- 
ward of  Otterboume.  Otterscope  Hill  lies  south-west  from  Green 
Leighton. 

' '  The  celebrated  Hotspur,  son  of  the  first  Earl  of  Northumberland, 
was,  in  1385,  Governor  of  Berwick  and  Warden  of  the  East  Marches; 
in  which  last  capacity  it  was  his  duty  to  repel  the  invasion  of 
Douglas. 

"Sir  Henry  Fitzhugh,  mentioned  in  the  ballad,  was  one  of  the 
Earl  of  Northumberland's  commanders  at  the  battle  of  Homeldown. 

"  As  to  the  local  situation  of  Otterboume,  it  is  thirty  statute  miles 
from  Newcastle,  though  Buchanan  has  diminished  the  distance  to 
eight  miles  only. 

"The  account  given  of  Sir  John  of  Agurstone  seems  also  liable  to 
some  doubt.  This  personage  is  supposed  by  Bishop  Percy  to  have 
been  one  of  the  Hagerstons  of  Hagerston,  a  Northumbrian  family, 
who,  according  to  the  fate  of  war,  were  sometimes  subjects  of  Scot- 
land. I  cannot,  however,  think,  that  at  this  period,  while  the 
English  were  in  possession  both  of  Berwick  and  Roxburgh,  with  the 
intermediate  fortresses  of  Wark,  Comhill,  and  Norham,  the  Scots 
possessed  any  part  of  Northumberland,  much  less  a  manor  which 


428  BALLAD  MraSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


lay  within  that  strong  chain  of  castles.  I  should  presume  the  per- 
son alluded  to  rather  to  have  been  one  of  the  Eutherfords,  Barons 
of  Edgerstane,  or  Edgerston,  a  warlike  family,  which  has  long 
flourished  on  the  Scottish  Borders,  and  who  were,  at  this  very  period, 
retamers  of  the  house  of  Douglas.  The  same  notes  contain  an 
account  of  the  other  Scottish  warriors  of  distinction  who  were  present 
at  the  battle.  These  were,  the  Earls  of  Monteith,  Buchan,  and 
Huntly ;  the  Barons  of  Maxwell  and  Johnston ;  Swinton  of  that  ilk, 
an  ancient  family,  which  about  that  period  produced  several  dis- 
tinguished warriors ;  Sir  David  (or  rather,  as  the  learned  bishop  well 
remarks,  Sir  Walter)  Scott  of  Buccleuch,  Stewart  of  Garlics,  and 
Murray  of  Cockpool. 

"  '  Kegibua  et  legibus,  Scotici  constantes, 
Vos  clypeis  et  gladiis  pro  patriis  pugpantes, 
Vestra  est  victoria,  vestri  est  et  gloria. 
In  cantu  et  historia,  perpes  est  memoria  I ' " 

1  It  fell  about  the  Lammas  tide, 

When  the  muir-men  win  their  hay, 
The  doughty  Douglas  bound  him  to  ride 
Into  England,  to  drive  a  prey. 

2  He  chose  the  Gordons"  and  the  Grasmes,* 

With  them  the  Lindsays,  light  and  gay," 
But  the  Jardines  wou'd  not  with  him  ride, 
And  they  rue  it  to  this  day.* 

3  And  he  has  burn'd  the  dales  of  Tyne, 

And  part  of  Bambrough  shire ; 
And  three  good  tow'rs  on  Eeidswire  fells, 
He  left  them  all  on  fire. 

4  And  he  march'd  up  to  Newcastle, 

And  rode  it  round  about: 
"  Oh,  wha  's  the  lord  of  this  castle, 
Or  wha 's  the  ladye  o't  ?  " 

5  But  up  spake  proud  Lord  Percy  then. 

And  oh,  but  he  spake  hie ! 

"I  am  the  lord  of  this  castle; 

My  wife  's  the  ladye  gay." 

6  "If  tbou'rt  the  lord  of  this  castle, 

Sae  weel  it  pleases  me! 
For,  ere  I  cross  the  Border  fells. 
The  ane  of  us  shall  dee." 

<*  i  "  [Scott  gives  notes  on  these  respective  clans  or  families,  and  their  chiefs,  who 
were  present  at  Oiterbourne;  but  they  are  too  lengthy  for  insertion  here.] 

*  The  Jardines  were  a  clan  of  hardy  West-Border  men.  Their  chief  was  Jardini 
of  Applegirth.  Tiieir  refusal  to  ride  with  Douglas  was,  probably,  the  result  of  ouo 
of  those  ijei-petual  feuds,  which  usually  rent  to  pieces  a  Scottish  army. 


BATTLE   OF  OTTERBOURNE.  429 


7  He  took  a  lang  spear  in  his  hand, 

Shod  with  the  metal  free  ; 
And  for  to  meet  the  Douglas  there, 
He  rode  right  furiouslie. 

8  But  oh,  hgw  pale  his  ladye  look'd, 

Frae  aff  the  castle  wall, 
When  down  before  the  Scottish  spear 
She  saw  proud  Percy  fall ! 

9  "  Had  we  twa  been  upon  the  green,  , 

And  never  an  eye  to  see, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  had  you,  flesh  and  fell;  * 
But  your  sword  shall  gae  with  me." 

10  "  But  gae  ye  up  to  Otterbourne, 

And  wait  there  dayis  three; 
And,  if  I  come  not  ere  three  dayis  efad, 
A  fause  knight  call  ye  me." 

11  "  The  Otterbourne 's  a  bonnie  burn ; 

'Tis  pleasant  there  to  be; 
But  there  is  nought  at  Otterbourne 
To  feed  my  men  and  me. 

12  "  The  deer  rins  wild  on  hill  and  dale, 

The  birds  fly  wild  from  tree  to  tree; 
But  there  is  neither  bread  nor  kale, 
To  fend  f  my  men  and  me. 

13  "  Yet  I  will  stay  at  Otterbourne, 

Where  you  shall  welcome  be ; 
And,  if  you  come  not  at  three  dayis  end, 
A  fause  lord  I'll  call  thee." 

14  "  Thither  will  I  come,"  proud  Percy  said, 

"  By  the  might  of  Our  Ladye ! " 
"  There  will  I  bide  thee,"  said  the  Douglas, 
"  My  troth  I  plight  to  thee." 

15  They  lighted  high  on  Otterbourne, 

Upon  the  bent  sae  brown; 
They  lighted  high  on  Otterbourne, 
And  threw  their  pallions  down. 

•  "Pell: "  hide.    Douglas  inginuates  that  Percy  was  rescued  by  his  soldiers, 
t  "Fend:"  support. 


430  BALLAD   MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


16  And  he  that  had  a  bonnie  boy, 

Sent  out  his  horse  to  grass; 
And  he  that  had  not  a  bonnie  boy, 
His  ain  servant  he  was.  * 

17  But  up  then  spake  a  little  page. 

Before  the  peep  of  dawn: 
"  Oh,  waken  ye,  waken  ye,  my  good  lord, 
For  Percy 's  hard  at  hand." 

18  "  Ye  lie,  ye  lie,  ye  liar  loud ! 

Sae  loud  I  hear  ye  Lie; 
For  Percy  had  not  men  yestreen 
To  dight  my  men  and  me. 

19  "  But  I  have  dream'd  a  dreary  dream. 

Beyond  the  Isle  of  Skye : 
I  saw  a  dead  man  win  a  fight, 
And  I  think  that  man  was  I." 

20  He  belted  on  his  gude  braid  sword, 

And  to  the  field  he  ran ; 
But  he  forgot  the  helmet  good 
That  shou'd  have  kept  his  brain. 

21  When  Percy  with  the  Douglas  met, 

I  wat  he  was  full  fain ! 
They  swakk'd  their  swords,  till  sair  they  swat, 
And  the  blood  ran  down  like  rain.f 

•  FroiRsart  describes  a  Scottish  host,  of  the  same  period,  as  consisting  of  "  IIIL  M. 
men  of  armes,  knightis,  and  squires,  mounted  on  good  horses ;  and  other  X.  M.  men 
of  warre,  armed,  after  their  gyse,  right  hardy  and  flrse,  mounted  on  lytle  hackneys, 
the  whiche  were  never  tied,  nor  kept  at  hard  meat,  hut  leite  go  to  pasture  in  the 
fleldis,  and  hushes." — Chronykle  o/Froissart,  translated  by  Lord  Berners,  chap.  xvii. 

[The  following  stanzas,  recovered  by  Mr.  Finlay  from  recitation,  come  in  after 
stanza  3  of  Herd's  version,  and  the  above  stanza  in  Scott's  text: — 

"Then  out  and  spak  a  little  wee  boy. 
And  he  was  near  o'  Percy's  kin, — 
'  Methinks  I  see  the  English  host 
A-coming  branking  us  upon; 

" '  Wi'  nine  waggons  scaling  wide. 
And  seven  banners  bearing  high; 
It  wad  do  any  living  gude 
To  see  their  bonnie  colours  fly.' " 

— Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  xviiL] 

t  "The  Percy  and  the  Douglas  mette, 

That  ether  of  other  was  fayne : 
They  schapped  together  whyll  that  they  sweette, 

"With  swords  of  fine  Collayne,* 
Tyll  the  bloode  from  their  bassonets  ran, 

As  the  brooke  doth  in  the  rayne."— English  ballad. 

*  "  CoUayne : "  Ckilogne  steel 


BATTLE  OF  OTTERBOURNE.  431 


22  But  Percy,  with  his  good  broad  sword, 

That  cou'd  so  sharply  wound, 
Has  wounded  Douglas  on  the  brow, 
Till  he  fell  to  the  ground,* 

23  Then  he  call'd  on  his  little  foot-page, 

And  sai'd — "  Run  speedily. 
And  fetch  my  ain  dear  sister's  son, 
Sir  Hugh  Montgomery. 

24  "  My  nephew  good,"  the  Douglas  said, 

"What  recks  the  death  of  ane! 
Last  night  I  dream'd  a  dreary  dream, 
And  I  ken  the  day  's  thy  ain. 

25  "My  wound  is  deep;  I  fain  wou'd  sleep; 

Take  thou  the  vanguard  of  the  three, 
And  hide  me  by  the  braken  f  bush, 
That  grows  on  yonder  lily  lee. 

26  "  Oh,  bury  me  by  the  braken  bush, 

Beneath  the  blooming  brier ; 
Let  never  living  mortal  ken 
That  a  kindly  Scot  lies  here." 

27  He  lifted  up  that  noble  lord, 

With  the  saut  tears  in  his  e'e ; 
He  hid  him  in  the  braken  bush. 
That  his  merry -men  might  not  see. 

28  The  moon  was  clear,  the  day  drew  near, 

The  spears  in  flinders  flew; 

But  mony  a  gallant  Englishman 

Ere  day  the  Scotsmen  slew. 

29  The  Gordons  good,  in  English  blood 

They  steep'd  their  hose  and  shoon ; 
The  Lindsays  flew  like  fire  about, 
Till  all  the  fray  was  done. 

80     The  Percy  and  Montgomery  met. 
That  either  of  other  were  fain ; 
They  swapped  swords,  and  they  twa  swat. 
And  aye  the  blood  ran  down  between. 

•  [This  stanza  seems  to  be  derived  from  the  English  version.  No  Scotish  minstrel 
■would  ever  have  dreamt  of  inventing  such  a  termination  to  the  combat  between 
these  two  redoubted  heroes;  and,  as  shown  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  the  introduction, 
the  tragic  incident  is  as  much  at  variance  with  history  as  it  is  repulsive  to  national 
feeling.] 

t  "Braken:"  fern. 


432  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


31  "  Now  yield  thee,  yield  thee,  Percy,"  he  said, 

"  Or  else  I  vow  I'll  lay  thee  low ! " 
"  To  whom  must  I  yield,"  quoth  Earl  Percy, 
"  Now  that  I  see  it  must  be  so?" 

32  "Thou  shalt  not  yield  to  lord  nor  loun, 

Nor  yet  shalt  thou  yield  to  me ; 
But  yield  ye  to  the  braken  bush 
That  grows  upon  yon  lily  lee ! " 

33  "  I  will  not  yield  to  a  braken  bush, 

Nor  yet  will  I  yield  to  a  brier ; 
But  I  wou'd  yield  to  Earl  Douglas, 
Or  Sir  Hugh  Montgomery,  if  he  were  here." 

34  As  soon  as  he  knew  it  was  Montgomery, 

He  struck  his  sword's  point  in  the  ground; 
The  Montgomery  was  a  courteous  knight, 
And  quickly  took  him  by  the  hand. 

35  This  deed  was  done  at  Otterbourne, 

About  the  breaking  of  the  day  ; 
Earl  Douglas  was  buried  at  the  braken  bush, 
And  the  Percy  led  captive  away. 


JOHNNIE  SCOT. 


" In  preparing  this  ballad  for  the  press,"  says  Motherwell,  "three 
recited  copies,  all  obtained  from  people  considerably  advanced  in 
years,  have  been  used.  The  ballad  itself  is  popular  in  the  shires  of 
Renfrew,  Dumbarton,  and  Stirling  ;  and  though  the  editor  has  ob- 
tained no  copy  of  it  from  the  south  of  Scotland,  yet  he  has  been 
assured  that  it  is  also  well  known  there — a  fact  of  which  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  as  the  Border  names  of  Scot  and  Percy*  sufficiently 
identify  it  with  that  part  of  the  country. 

"As  is  to  be  expected,  in  all  poetry  which  depends  on  oral 
tradition  for  its  transmission  to  our  own  times,  the  copies  of  this 
ballad  which  the  editor  has  recovered  do  not  exactly  correspond  with 
each  other.  Numerous,  though  on  the  whole  but  trivial,  verbal 
discrepancies  exist  among  them;  and  in  adjusting  the  text,  he  had 
therefore  to  rely  on  his  own  judgment  in  selecting,  what  he  con- 
ceived, the  best  reading  from  each  of  his  copies.  In  justice,  however, 
to  himself,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  rigid  antiquary,  he  begs 
leave  explicitly  to  state,  that  not  a  single  word  or  expression  has 
been  admitted  into  the  present  text  but  what  was  duly  authorized 
by  one  or  other  of  these  copies.    .     .     . 

*  Motherwell's  yersion  makes  the  heroine  a  daughter  of  Earl  Percy.    But  in  all 
the  other  versiocs  she  is  represented  as  "the  King  of  England's  fair  daughter." 


JOHNNIE  SCOT.  433 


"With  regard  to  the  proper  names  in  the  ballad,  considerable 
diflBculty  was  experienced.  In  the  few  notes  subjoined,  the  principal 
variations  which  occur  in  this  particular  between  the  different  copies, 
in  so  far  as  relates  to  the  minor  personages  of  the  drama,  are  pointed 
out ;  but  as  to  the  hero  himself,  it  is  right  to  mention  in  this  place, 
that  two  of  the  copies  agree  in  styling  him  *  Johnie  Scot,'  while  the 
third  names  him  'Johnie  M'Nauchton.'  In  all  other  material 
points,  none  of  the  copies  essentially  differ,  except  in  this,  that  in  the 
copy  which  gave  'M'Nauchton'  as  the  hero,  the  champion  with 
whom  he  measures  blades  does  not  enact  that  marvellous  feat  of 
agility  which  forms  so  remarkable  a  feature  in  the  combat  scene 
between  '  Johnie  Scot '  and  the  '  Tailliant,' — 

'  "Who  like  a  Swallow  swift, 

Owre  Johnie's  head  did  flee.'    .    .    . 

"Whether  the  glory  of  the  high  achievement  recorded  in  the 
ballad  should  of  right  belong  to  the  name  of  Scot,  or  to  that  of 
M'Nauchton,  is  a  question  very  hard  of  solution.  Scot  of  Satchels, 
in  that  strangest  of  all  literary  curiosities,  his  metrical  History  of 
the  Right  Honourable  Name  of  Scot,  is  dumb  on  the  subject ;  and 
Buchanan,  in  his  account  of  Scottish  Surnames,  is  as  profoundly 
silent  regarding  any  one  belonging  to  the  ancient  family  of  M'Nauchton, 
to  whom  the  nonour  of  this  notable  duel  can  with  any  degree  of 
likelihood  be  attributed.  For  his  own  part,  the  editor  has  been 
somewhat  gravelled  to  make  up  his  mind  on  this  momentous  point; 
but  at  length  he  has  been  inclined  to  concede  the  adventure  perilous, 
even  to  Johnnie  Scot,  whoever  he  was,  not  only  on  the  account  that 
two  copies  of  the  ballad,  and  these  by  far  the  most  perfect  in  their 
narrative,  are  quite  unanimous  on  this  head,  but  that  these  likewise 
retain  the  word  '  Tailliant, '  which,  in  the  corresponding  part  of  the 
third  copy,  is  changed  into  '  Champion.'  This  word  TaUhant  he  has 
never  before  met  with  in  any  ballad ;  but  it  is  an  evident  derivative 
from  the  French  verb  Taillader.* 

"  Mr.  Ritson,  in  his  Historical  Dissertation  on  Scottish  Song,  gives 
in  a  foot-note  a  hst  of  certain  unedited  ballads,  contained  in  a  MS. 
collection  which  belonged  to  the  late  Lord  Woodhouselee.  In  this 
list  occurs  one,  entitled  '  Jack  the  Little  Scot ; '  and  from  the  same 
critic  mentioning  that  many  lines  and  indeed  stanzas  of  '  Gil  Morris ' 
would  be  found  in  said  ballad,  t  the  editor,  both  from  the  similarity  of 
the  titles  and  from  their  agreeing  in  the  circumstance  of  having 
stanzas  in  common  with  'Gil  Morris,'  conjectured  that  it  .  .  . 
and  the  present  ballad  were  one  and  the  same.  He  accordingly 
endeavoured  to  procure  a  copy  of  the  ballad  alluded  to,  for  the 
purpose  of  collation,  but  without  success,  as  the  MSS.  of  Lord  Wood- 
houselee were,  after  his  death,  dispersed  among  his  relatives. 

"  Perhaps,  after  all,  it  is  but  of  little  importance  to  ascertain  this 
fact ;  and  even  though  the  ballads  were  the  same,  it  is  questionable 
whether  it  would  suggest  any  improvement  upon  the  present  text. 

*  "  Taillader : "  "to  cut  or  slash."  Ay  toun,  in  his  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  iL,  in  reprinting 
Dalzell's  copy  of  "Grange's  Ballad,"  changes  the  word  "tailzeoar,"  "or  tsmor,"  to 
"tailliant"—!.  «.,  "holder  or  defender." 

+  See  stanzas  8, 11,  and  21  of  this  ballad,  compared  with  11,  20,  and  29  of  "  Gil 
Uorice,"  ante,  p.  313. 

2f 


434  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"  As  it  is,  '  Johnnie  Scot '  is  altogether  a  very  spirited  and  interest- 
ing composition,  highly  national  in  its  character,  and  fuU  of  bustle, 
action,  and  incident.  It  is  just  such  a  one  as  we  would  always  be 
glad  to  see  transferred  to  more  imperishable  records,  than  the 
decaying  memories  of  Ancient  Women,  and  Time-crazed  Men." — 
Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  204. 

Different  versions  of  the  same  ballad  subsequently  appeared,  as 
under : — 

L  "Lord  John,"  in  Buchan's  Gleanings,  p.  122. 

In  this  version  the  questions  asked,  as  to  the  name  and 
rank  of  the  hero,  are, — 

"  Is  this  the  Duke  of  Marlborough? 
Or  James,  the  Scottish  king? 
Or  is  it  else  some  Scottish  lord, 
Come  here  a-visiting  ?  " 

IL  "Johnie  Buneftan,"  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads, 
p.  77. 

In  this  version  the  hero  is  designated  ' '  Jack,  that  little 
Scot ; "  and  the  questions  asked  regarding  him,  are, — 

"  Is  this  the  Duke  of  Winesberrie  ? 
Or  James,  the  Scottish  king  ? 
Or  is  it  a  young  gentleman. 
That  wants  for  to  be  in  ?  " 

In  both  of  the  last-named  versions  the  "Tailliant"  is 

metamorphosed    into   an   "Italian."     Referring  to   Mr. 

Motherwell's  statement,  that  he  had  "never  met  with  the 

word  'Tailliant'  before,"  Mr.  Kinloch  remarks : — "It  would 

have  been  singular  if  he  had,  as  'Tailliant'  is,  in  fact, 

nothing  else  but  a  corruption  of  '  Italian,'  in  the  recitation 

of  the  old  people  from  whom  he  procured  his  versions. " 

III.  "Lang  Johnny  Moir,"  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i., 

p.  248  ;  which  marvellous  production  will  be  found  in  the 

Appendix  to  this  work. 

We  are  disposed  to  think  that  the  "Johnnie  Scot"  or  "M'Nauchton" 

of  the  following  ballad  is  one  of  "the  popular  heroes  of  romance" 

referred  to  by  Gawain  Douglas,  in  the  lines  already  quoted  from  his 

Police  of  Honour,  ante,  p.  403.     The  line  specially  naming  him  reads — 

"How  Hay  of  Nauchton  flew  in  Madin  land ; " 

and  it  is  thus  explained  in  a  note  by  Sir  Walter  Scott : — "  Hay  of 
Nachton  I  take  to  be  the  knight,  mentioned  by  Wjmtown,  whose 
feats  of  war  and  travel  may  have  become  the  subject  of  a  romance 
or  ballad.  He  fought  in  Flanders,  under  Alexander,  Earl  of  Mar,  in 
1408,  and  is  thus  described : — 

'Lord  of  the  Nachtane,  Schire  William, 
Ane  hanest  knycht,  and  of  gud  fame. 
A  travalit  knycht  lang  before  than.' 

And  again,  before  an  engagement, — 

'  The  Lord  of  Nachtane,  Schire  William, 
The  Hay,  a  knycht  than  of  gud  fame, 
Mad  Schire  Gilbert,  the  Hay,  knycht' 

— Cronykil,  b.  ix,  c.  27. 


JOHNNIE  SCOT.  435 


I  apprehend  we  should  read,  '  How  Hay  of  Nachton  slew  in  Madin 
Land.'  Perhaps  Madin  is  a  corruption  for  Maylin  Land,  or 
Milan."  ♦ 

With  the  exception  of  the  first  six  stanzas,  Motherwell's  version  of 
"  Johnie  Scot "  is  the  one  chiefly  followed. 

In  a  note  to  his  'Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  c,  Mr.  Motherwell 
inserts  "  the  following  passage,  illustrative  of  the  famous  feat  of  arms 
accomplished  by  Johnie  Scot,"  which,  says  he,  "was  kindly  pointed 
out  to  me  by  Mr.  Sharpe  : — James  Macgill  of  Lindores,  having  killed 
Sir  Eobert  Balfour,  of  Denmiln,  iu  a  duel,  immediately  went  up  to 
London,  in  order  to  procure  his  pardon,  which,  it  seems,  the  ting 
(Charles  II. )  offered  to  grant  him,  upon  condition  of  his  fighting  an 
Italian  gladiator,  or  bravo,  or,  as  he  was  called,  a  bully,  which,  it  is 
said,  none  could  be  found  to  do.  Accordingly,  a  large  stage  was  erected 
for  the  exhibition  before  the  king  and  court.  Sir  James,  it  is  said, 
stood  on  the  defensive  till  the  bully  had  spent  himself  a  little  ;  being 
a  taller  man  than  Sir  James,  in  his  mighty  gasconading  and  bravado- 
ing,  he  actually  leaped  over  the  knight  as  if  he  would  swallow  him 
alive  ;  but,  in  attempting  to  do  this  a  second  time,  Sir  James  ran  his 
sword  up  through  him,  and  then  called  out,  '  I  have  spitted  him,  let 
them  roast  him  who  wilL'  This  not  only  procured  his  pardon,  but 
he  was  also  knighted  on  the  spot. — SmaU's  Account  of  Roman  Anti- 
quities, recently  discovered  in  Fife,  p.  217." 

Three  different  versions  of  a  ballad,  evidently  belonging  to  the 
same  circle,  appear  under  the  respective  titles  of  "  Lord  Thomas  of 
Winsberry,"  in  Buchan's  Gleanings,  p.  127  ;  "Lord  Thomas  of  Wines- 
berrie,"  in  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Poems,  p.  89 ;  and  "  Lord 
Thomas  of  Winesberry  and  the  King's  Daughter,"  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  212. 

Mr.  Kinloch  supposes  it  to  refer  to  "the  secret  expedition  of  James 
V.  to  France,  in  1536,  in  search  of  a  wife,"  and  quotes  the  account 
thereof  from  Pitscottie's  Chronicles  of  Scotland,  8vo,  vol.  ii.,  p.  363, 
et  seq.  Mr.  Buchan,  however,  combats  this  theory.  A  collated  and 
slightly  emendated  copy  of  "Lord  Thomas  of  Winesberry"  follows 
"  Johnnie  Scot "  next  in  order. 

1  Johnnie  has  on  to  London  gone, 

To  London  gone  has  he ; 
Johnnie  has  on  to  London  gone, 
King's  bannerman  to  be. 

2  He  had  not  been  in  London  town, 

It 's  but  a  little  while, 
Till  the  King  of  England's  fair  daughter, 
On  him  did  fondly  smile, 

*Bnt  if  the  present  ballad  relates  to  "Hay  of  Nauchton,"  the  positions  of  the 
combatants  seem  simply  reversed  by  the  text  of  Grawain  Douglas  as  it  reads;  while 
Sir  Walter  Scott's  suggested  emendation  would,  by  this  identification  and  reversal, 
prove  not  only  unnecessary,  but  erroneous. 


436  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 

3  But  Johnnie  's  back  to  Scotland  gone, 

To  hunt  in  the  greenwood  free ; 
And  left  his  true  love  all  alone, 
And  a  sorry  ladye  was  she. 

4  For  Johnnie 's  on  to  Scotland  gone, 

I  wot  he 's  on  with  speed ; 
Oh,  Johnnie 's  on  to  Scotland  gone, 
And  as  great  was  his  need. 

5  Then  word  unto  the  king  has  gone, 

His  daughter  mourn'd  so ; 
And  word  has  also  to  him  gone, 
Of  what  did  cause  her  woe. 

6  But  when  the  king  heard  word  of  it, 

An  angry  man  was  he; 
And  he  cast  her  into  prison  strong, 
To  pine  there  till  she'd  dee. 


7  Then  Johnnie  thought  upon  his  love 

He  dare  not  go  to  see ; 
And  he  call'd  on  his  waiting-man, 

His  name  was  Germanie :  * 
"  It 's  thou  must  to  fair  England  go, 

Bring  me  that  gay  ladye. 

8  "  And  here  it  is,  a  silken  sark, 

Her  ain  hand  sew'd  the  sleeve; 
Bid  her  come  to  the  merry  greenwood, 
At  her  friends  ask  no  leave." 

9  He  rode  till  he  came  to  the  castle  gate, 

And  he  tirl'd  at  the  pin ; 
"  Oh,  wha  is  there?  "  said  the  proud  porter; 
"  But  I  darena  let  thee  in." 

10     It 's  he  rode  up,  and  he  rode  down. 
He  rode  the  castle  about. 
Until  he  spied  a  fair  ladye. 
At  the  window  looking  out. 

•  " '  Gtermanie : '  all  the  copies  whicli  mention  Johnnie's  waiting-man  concur  in  giving 
this  name,  which  is  probably  descriptive  of  his  country.  In  one  copy,  he,  in  place  of 
Johnnie's  nncle,  is  the  person  who  heroically  offers  wager  of  battle.  But  in  another 
copy  the  whole  words  and  actions  ascribed  to  Johnnie's  uncle,  who  'spake  so 
bitterlie,'  are  transferred  to  'Qude  King  James.'" — Motherwell 


JOHNNIE  SCOT.  437 


11  "  Here  is  a  silken  sark,"  he  said, 

"  Thine  ain  hand  sew'd  the  sleeve ; 
And  ye  must  go  to  the  merry  greenwood, 
At  your  friends  ask  no  leave." 

12  "  The  Qastle  it  is  high,  young  man, 

And  well  wall'd  round  about ; 
My  feet  they  are  in  fetters  strong, 
And  how  can  I  get  out  ? 

13  "  My  garters  are  the  black  iron, 

And  oh,  but  they  be  cold  ! 
My  girdle  's  *  of  the  sturdy  steel, 
Instead  of  beaten  gold. 

14  "  But  had  I  paper,  pen,  and  ink, 

With  candle  at  my  command, 

It 's  I  would  write  a  long  letter 

To  Johnnie,  in  fair  Scotland.** 

16    Then  she  has  written  a  braid  letter, 
And  seal'd  it  with  her  hand ; 
And  sent  it  to  the  merry  greenwood, 
With  her  ain  boy  at  command. 

16  The  first  line  of  it  Johnnie  read, 

A  loud,  loud  laugh  laugh'd  he ; 

But  he  had  not  read  a  line  but  two, 

Till  the  tears  did  blind  his  e'e. 

17  "  Oh,  I  must  up  to  England  go, 

Whatever  me  betide, 
For  to  relieve  my  fair  ladye, 
And  claim  her  for  my  bride." 

18  Then  up  spake  Johnnie's  auld  mither, 

A  well-spoken  woman  was  she : 
"If  you  do  go  to  England,  Johnnie, 
I  may  take  fareweel  of  thee." 

19  And  out  and  spake  his  father  then, 

A  noble  lord  was  he  : 
"  If  thou  unto  fair  England  go. 
You'll  ne'er  come  hame  to  me." 

20  But  out  and  spake  his  uncle  then, 

And  he  spake  bitterlie  : 
"  Five  hundred  of  my  good  life-guards 
Shall  bear  him  companie." 

•  "lly  breastplate's,"  &c— MotherweU. 


438  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


21  When  they  were  all  on  saddle  set, 

They  were  comely  to  behold ; 
The  hair  that  hung  o'er  Johnnie's  neck 
Shone  like  the  links  of  gold. 

22  When  they  went  riding  all*  away, 

Most  pleasant  for  to  see, 
There  was  not  so  much  as  a  married  man 
In  Johnnie's  companie. 

23  Johnnie  himsel'  was  the  foremost  man 

In  the  company  did  ride  ; 
His  uncle  was  the  second  man. 
With  his  rapier  by  his  side. 

24  The  first  gude  town  that  Johnnie  came  to, 

He  made  the  bells  be  rung ; 
And  when  he  rode  the  town  all  o'er. 
He  made  the  massf  be  sung. 

25  The  next  gude  town  that  Johnnie  came  to, 

He  made  the  drums  beat  round ; 
And  the  third  gude  town  that  he  came  to, 
He  made  the  trumpets  sound.J 

26  And  when  they  came  to  King  Henry's  tow'rs, 

They  rode  them  round  about ; 
And  who  saw  he  but  his  own  true  love. 
At  a  window  looking  out ! 

27  "  Oh !  the  doors  are  bolted  with  iron  and  steel, 

So  are  the  windows  about ; 
And  my  feet  they  are  in  fetters  strong, 
And  how  can  I  win  out?  " 

28  But  when  they  came  to  the  castle  yett, 

They  scarce  tirl'd  at  the  pin, 
For  the  porter  was  ready  waiting  there, 
To  open  and  let  them  in. 

*  "  Went  riding  all." — Mothersrell's  text  reads,  "  Were  all  marching,"  which, 
looking  to  the  context,  is  an  evident  absurdity.  Antiquarian  precision  is  all  very 
well  when  it  is  really  regulated  by  "  judgment ; "  but  if  not  so  regulated,  it  degenerates 
into  the  worst  kind  of  pedantry. 

t  "  Mass." — Buchan.    "  Psalms." — Motherwell. 

t  Motherwell  s  version  adda — 

"  Till  King  Henry  and  all  his  merry  men 
A-marvell'd  at  the  sound." 


JOHKNIE  SCOT.  439 


29  "  Art  thou  the  King  of  Aulsberry  ?  * 

Or  art  thou  King  of  Spain? 
Or  art  thou  one  of  our  gay  Scots  lords, 
M'Nachton  to  thy  name?" 

30  "  I'm  not  the  King  of  Aulsberry, 

Nor  yet  the  King  of  Spain; 
But  I  am  one  of  our  gay  Scots  lords, 
Johnnie  Scot  I  am  call'd  by  name." 

31  When  Johnnie  came  before  the  king, 

He  fell  low  down  on  his  knee: 
"  If  Johnnie  Scot  be  thy  name,"  he  said, 

"  As  I  trow  well  it  be; 
Then  to-morrow  mom,  by  eight  o'clock, 

It 's  high  hang'd  thou  shalt  be." 

•  "  It  may  puzzle  the  historian  to  give  any  account  of  this  king's  reign,  or  to  fix 
the  limits  of  his  dominions;  being  associated,  however,  with  the  King  of  Spain,  this 
circumstance  may  afford  some  cue  for  obtaining  information  on  these  important 
points.  One  copy  of  the  ballad  has,  '  Art  thou  the  Duke  of  Mulberry  ? '  another,  '  Art 
thou  the  Duke  of  York?'  but,  for  the  sake  of  heraldic  justice,  the  present  reading 
■was  preferred.  This  stanza,  and  that  which  precedes  it,  we  give  now  as  they  occur 
in  the  three  different  copies  of  the  ballad  recovered  by  the  editor,  bo  that  the  reader 
may  have  it  in  his  power  to  choose  the  reading  which  hits  his  fancy. 

"  JOHNNIE  SCOT. 

"  '  Are  you  the  Duke  of  York?'  he  said, 
'  Or  James,  our  Scottish  King? 
Or  are  you  one  of  our  Scottish  lords, 
From  hunting  new  come  home? ' 

" '  I'm  not  the  Duke  of  York,'  he  said, 
'  Nor  James,  your  Scottish  King; 
But  I'm  one  of  the  Scottish  lords,  .. 
Earl  Hector  is  my  name.' 

"  JOHNNIE  SCOT. 

" '  Art  thou  the  King  of  Aulsberry? 
Or  art  thou  the  King  of  Spain? 
Or  art  thou  one  of  our  gay  Scots  lords,  » 

M'Nachton  to  thy  name?' 

"  '  I'm  not  the  Kins  of  Aulsberry, 
Nor  yet  the  King  of  Spain ; 
But  I  am  one  of  our  gay  Scots  lords. 
Johnnie  Scot  I  am  call'd  by  name.* 

"JOHNNIE  M'NACHTON. 

"  '  Are  you  the  Duke  of  Mulberry? 
Or  James,  our  Scottish  King  ? 
Are  you  the  Duke  of  Mulberry, 
From  Scotland  new  come  home?' 

" '  I'm  not  the  Duke  of  Mulberry, 
Nor  James,  our  Scottish  King; 
But  I  am  a  true  Scottishman, 
M'Nachton  is  my  name.'  "—Motherwell. 


440  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


32  Out  and  spoke  Johnnie's  uncle  then, 

And  he  spake  bitterlie : 
"  Before  that  we  see  fair  Johnnie  hang'd, 
We'll  all  fight  till  we  die." 

33  "  But  is  there  a  Tailliant  about  your  court 

Will  fight  a  duel  with  me? 
For  ere  I'd  be  hang'd,"  brave  Johnnie  said, 
"  On  his  sword  I  will  die." 

34  "  Say  on,  say  on,"  then  said  the  king, 

"  It  is  well  spoken  of  thee; 
For  there  is  a  Tailliant  in  my  court 
Shall  fight  you  manfullie." 

35  Oh,  some  are  to  the  good  greenwood, 

And  some  are  to  the  plain ; 
The  Queen  with  all  her  ladyes  fair, 

The  King  with  his  merry  men, 
Either  to  see  fair  Johnnie  flee. 

Or  else  to  see  him  slain. 

36  They  fought  on,  and  Johnnie  fought  on. 

With  swords  of  temper'd  steel. 

Until  the  draps  of  red,  red  blood 

Ran  trinkling  down  the  field.* 

37  And  they  began  at  eight  of  the  mora. 

And  they  fought  on  till  three ; 
When  the  Tailliant,  like  the  swallow  swift, 
O'er  Johnnie's  head  did  flee. 

38  But  Johnnie,  being  a  clever  young  boy, 

He  wheel'd  him  round  about ; 
And  on  the  point  of  Johnnie's  broadsword 
The  Tailliant  he  slew  out. 

39  "  A  priest,  a  priest,"  fair  Johnnie  cried, 

"  To  wed  my  love  and  me  !" 
"  A  clerk,  a  clerk,"  her  father  cried, 
"  To  sum  her  tocher  free." 

40  "  I'll  none  of  your  gold,"  fair  Johnnie  cried, 

"  Nor  none  of  your  other  gear ; 
But  I  will  have  my  own  fair  bride. 
For  this  day  I've  won  her  dear." 

•  The  following  stanza  occurs  here  in  Motherwell's  version : — 

"They  fought  on,  and  Johnie  fought  on, 
They  fought  right  manfullie. 
Till  they  left  not  alive  in  a'  the  king's  court 
A  man  but  only  three  " 


LORD  THOMAS  OF  WINESBERRT.  441 


41  He 's  ta'en  his  true  love  by  the  hand, 

He  led  her  up  the  plain : 
"  Have  you  any  more  of  your  English  dogs, 
That  you  want  to  have  slain?" 

42  He  put  a, little  horn  to  his  mouth, 

He  blew't  baith  loud  and  shrill ; 
And  Honour  is  into  Scotland  gone, 
In  spite  of  England's  skill. 

43  He  put  his  little  horn  to  his  mouth. 

He  blew  it  o'er  again  ; 
And  aye  the  sound  the  good  horn  made, 
Was — "  Johnnie  and  his  men ! " 


LOED  THOMAS  OF  WINESBERRY. 

See  introduction  to  preceding  ballad. 

1  It  fell  upon  a  time,  that  the  proud  King  of  France 

Went  a-hunting  for  five  months  and  more. 
And  his  daughter  fell  in  love  with  Lord  Winesberry, 
Who  from  Scotland  was  newly  come  o'er. 

2  When  her  father  came  home  from  hunting  the  deer, 

And  his  daughter  before  him  came, 
Oh,  she  look'd  sick,  and  very,  very  sick. 
For  her  fair  colour  it  was  wan. 

3  "  What  ails  thee,  what  ails  thee,  my  daughter  Jean? 

What  makes  thee  to  look  sae  wan  ? 
You've  either  been  sick,  and  very,  very  sick, 
Or  ye  are  in  love  with  a  man." 

4  "  You're  welcome,  you're  welcome,  my  dear  father, 

You're  welcome  hame  to  ye're  ain ; 
For  I  ha'e  been  sick,  and  very,  very  sick, 
Thinking  long  for  your  coming  again. 

6     "  Yet  pardon,  yet  pardon,  my  dear  father, 
Your  pardon  I  pray  grant  to  me ; 
[For  I  am  also  in  love  with  a  man, 
Whom  I  wish  my  dear  husband  to  be."] 

6     "  Oh,  is  your  love  laid  on  a  man  of  might  ? 
Or  is  it  on  one  that  is  mean  ? 
Or  is  it  to  one  of  the  rank  robbers 
That  I  took  prisoner  in  Spain?" 


442  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


7  "  Oh,  my  love  is  not  laid  on  a  man  of  might, 

Nor  on  a  prisoner  from  Spain  ; 
But  on  Loi'd  Thomas  of  Winesberry. 
Who  serves  me  as  chamberlain."* 

8  The  king  call'd  on  his  merry  men  all, 

Whom  he  paid  meat  and  fee : 
"  Go  seize  Lord  Thomas  of  Winesberry, 
And  bring  him  here  to  me. 

9  "  Go  seize  Lord  Thomas  of  Winesberry, 

And  bring  him  here  to  me ; 
For  to-morrow,  ere  I  eat  or  drink, 
It's  high  hang'd  he  shall  be." 

10  His  daughter  tum'd  her  round  about, 

While  the  tear  did  blind  her  e'e : 

"  If  ye  do  any  ill  to  Lord  Thomas, 

Ye  will  never  get  gude  of  me."f 

11  When  Lord  Thomas  was  brought  before  the  king. 

His  clothing  was  of  the  silk ; 
His  fine  yellow  hair  like  threads  of  gold. 
And  his  skin  white  as  the  milk.J 

12  And  when  he  came  in  before  the  king, 

He  kneel'd  low  down  on  his  knee; 
Saying — "  What  is  your  will  with  me,  my  liege  ? 
Oh,  what  is  your  will  with  me  ?  " 

13  "  No  wonder,  no  wonder.  Lord  Thomas, 

That  my  daughter  so  loves  thee ; 
For  were  you  a  woman,  as  you  are  a  man, 
My  own  love  you  wou'd  be.  § 

•  "  And  for  him  I  mast  snffer  pain."— Buchan's  Gleanings. 

t  The  following  stanzas  come  in  at  this  place  in  the  Gleanings  version : — 

"  'Get  up,  get  np.  Lord  Thomas,'  they  said, 
'  Get  up  and  bound  your  way. 
For  the  king  has  sworn,  by  his  honour'd  crown, 
That  to-morrow  is  thy  dying  day.' 

"  'Oh,  what  have  I  robb'd?  or  what  have  I  stolen? 
Or  what  have  I  kill'd  or  slain? 
That  I  should  be  afraid  to  speak  to  your  king, 
For  I  have  done  him  no  wrong.' " 

J  "His  hair  was  like  the  threads  o'  gowd. 

His  eyes  like  crystal  clear." — Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads.    See  "Gil  Morice,' 
etanza29. 

§  Compare  with  stanza  34  of  "Gil  Morice,"  ante,  p.  32a 


THE  BATTLE  OF  HARLAW.  443 


14  "  But  if  you  will  marry  my  daughter  Jean, 

With  the  truth  of  your  right  hand, 
You'll  get  part  both  of  my  gold  and  my  gear, 
And  the  third  part  of  my  land." 

15  "  Yes,  I  will  marry  your  daughter  Jean, 

With  the  truth  of  my  right  hand  ; 
But  take  none  of  your  gold  nor  none  of  your  gear, 
I've  enough  in  fair  Scotland. 

16  "  Yes,  I  will  marry  your  daughter  Jean, 

Tho'  I  care  not  for  your  land; 
For  she  will  be  queen,  and  I  will  be  king. 
When  we  come  to  fair  Scotland." 


THE  BATTLE  OF  HARLAW. 


From  Ramsay's  Evergreen,  vol.  i.,  p.  78.* 

"Antiquaries  have  differed  in  opinion  regarding  the  age  of  this 
composition;  but  the  best  informed  have  agreed  in  looking  upon  it 
as  of  coeval  production,  or  nearly  so,  with  the  historical  event  on 
which  it  is  founded  ;  and  in  this  opinion  the  present  writer  entirely 
coincides.+  No  edition  prior  to  Ramsay's  time  has  been  preserved, 
though  it  was  printed  in  1668,  as  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Laing,  in 
his  Early  Metrical  Tales,  p.  14  ;  an  edition  of  that  date  having  been 
in  the  curious  Ubrary  of  old  Robert  Mylne. 

"  In  the  Complaynt  of  Scotland,  1549,  this  ballad  is  mentioned.  In 
the  Polemo  Middinia  its  tune  is  referred  to  : — 

'  Interea  ante  alios  dnx  piperlariuB  heros. 
Prsecedens  magnamque  gerens  cum  burdine  pypam, 
Incipit  Harlai  canctis  sonare  BateUum.' 

And  in  a  MS.  collection  of  tunes,  written  in  the  hand  of  Sir 
William  Mure  of  Rowallan,  which  I  have  seen,  occurs  '  the  battle 
of  harlaw. '  +    From  the  extreme  popularity  of  the  song,  it  is  not  to 

*  "  T/te  Evergreen;  being  a  collection  of  Scots  poems  wrote  by  the  Ingenious 
before  1600."    2  vols.  12mo,  Edinburgh,  1724. 

t  In  referring  to  the  "  sueit  melodius  sangis  "  mentioned  in  the  Complaynt  of  Scot- 
land, Ritson,  who  was  usually  sceptical  regarding  Scotish  traditions,  thus  expresses 
himself  regarding  "  The  Battel  of  Hayrlaw :  "  "  This  is  presumed  to  be  the  fine  poem 
printed  in  The  Everfpeen,  which,  with  submission  to  the  opinion  of  the  late  Lord 
Hailes,  may,  for  anything  that  appears  either  in  or  out  of  it  to  the  contrary,  be  as 
old  as  the  16th  century."— Eitton's  Scotish  Song,  vol.  i.,  Historical  Essay,  p.  xliii. 

X  In  the  notes  and  illustrations  to  Johnson's  Musical  Muaeum,  Mr.  Stenhouse 
inserts  (p.  447)  the  "Battle  of  Hardlaw:  a  Pibioch,"  as  taken  from  "a  folio 
manuscript  of  Scots  tunes,  of  considerable  antiquity,"  in  his  possession.  And  Mr. 
Maidment  mentions  that,  "in  that  exceeding  rare  Collection  of  Ancient  Scots  Music, 
by  Daniel  Dow,  dated  about  1776,  there  occurs,  p.  28,  'The  Battle  of  Hara  Law.'" — 
Scotish  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  L,  p.  200. 


444  BALLAD  MmSTRELSy  OF  SCOTLAND. 


be  wondered  at  though  every  early  imprint  of  it  has  now  disappeared. 
Bamsay  probably  gave  his  copy  from  a  stall  edition  of  his  own  day  ; 
which  copy  has  successively  been  edited  by  Mr.  Sibbald,  Mr.  Finlay, 
and  Mr.  Laing,  and  has  appeared  in  other  collections.  A  copy, 
apparently  taken  from  recitation,  is  given  in  The  Thistle  of  Scotland, 
Aberdeen,  1823.  The  editor  of  which,  among  a  good  deal  of  stuff 
which  is  not  very  comprehensible,  points  out  various  localities,  and 
gives  three  stanzas  of  a  burlesque  song  on  the  same  subject,  popular 
in  the  North." — Motherwell's  Mi7istrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixii, 
note  2. 

The  ballad  gives  a  minute  and  accurate  account  of  the  circum- 
stances which  gave  rise  to,  as  well  as  of  the  progress  and  issue  of,  the 
Battle  of  Harlaw,  fought,  under  the  regency  of  the  Duke  of  Albany, 
in  the  district  of  Garioch,  Aberdeenshire,  near  the  village  of  Harlaw, 
and  close  to  the  highway  between  the  town  of  Inverness  and  the 
city  of  Aberdeen,  on  the  24th  of  July,  1411,  l-etween  Donald,  Lord 
of  the  Isles,  and  the  Earl  of  Mar.*  The  result  of  this  bloody  and 
obstinate  contest  between  the  Highlanders  of  the  north-west  and  the 
Lowlanders  of  the  east  of  Scotland,  was  to  secure  the  permanent  and 
undoubted  supremacy  of  the  Lowlanders.  In  the  sunmier  of  the 
following  year,  the  forces  of  the  Regent  attacked  the  Lord  of  the 
Isles  in  his  own  domains,  compelled  him  to  relinquish  his  assiyned 
independence,  give  up  all  claim  to  the  earldom  of  Eoss,  consent  to 
become  a  vassal  of  the  Scotish  crown,  and  to  deliver  hostages  for  his 
future  good  behaviour — in  terms  of  a  treaty  concluded  at  Polgilbe,  or 
Polgillip,  now  Lochgilp,  in  the  district  of  Knapdale,  Argyleshire.  (See 
Tytler's  History  of  Scotland,  vol.  iii.,  edit.  18G4,  under  the  years  1411- 
12,  and  note,  p.  334.)  The  text  which  follows  is  modernized  in  the 
orthography,  and  it  is  followed  by  the  traditionary  version  of  the 
ballad  as  taken  down  from  recitation. 

1  Frae  Dunidier  as  I  came  througli, 

Down  by  the  hill  of  Banachie, 
Alangst  the  lands  of  Garioch, 

Great  pitie  was  to  hear  and  see 

The  noise  and  dulesome  harmonie, 
(That  ever  that  dreary  day  did  daw !) 

Cryin'  the  coronach"  on  hie, 
Alas,  alas,  for  the  Harlaw ! 

2  I  marvell'd  what  the  matter  meant ; 

All  folks  were  in  a  fiery  farie:* 
[  wist  nocht  wha  was  fae  or  friend, 
Yet  quietly  I  did  me  carrie. 

•  Alexander  Stewart,  natural  son  of  Alexander,  Earl  of  Buchan  and  Ross.  The 
latter,  who  is  test  known  by  his  sobriquet  of  the  Wolf  of  Badenoch,  was  a  brother 
of  the  Regent  Albany.  The  leader  of  the  royal  forces  was  therefore  nephew  to  the 
Regent,  cousin  to  James  I.  King  of  Scots,  then  a  captive  in  England,  and  to  the 
assumed  hero  of  "Young  Waters,"  which  follown.  He  is  also  the  Earl  of  Max 
referred  to  in  note  (*)  to  "Johnnie  Scot,"  ante,  p.  432. 

"  "Coronach: "  dirge  or  lament  for  the  dead. 

4  "Fiery  farie: "  confusion  and  consternation. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  HARLAW.  445 


But  since  the  days  of  aiild  King  Harrie 
Sic  slauchter  was  not  heard  nor  seen; 

And  there  I  had  nae  time  to  tarrie, 
For  bisiness  in  Aberdeen. 

Thus  as  I  walkit  on  the  way, 

To  luverury  as  I  went, 
I  met  a  man,  and  bade  him  stay, 

Requesting  him  to  make  me  'quaint 

Of  the  beginning  and  the  event 
That  happen'd  there  at  the  Harlaw; 

Then  he  beseech'd  me  to  take  tent," 
And  he  the  truth  shou'd  to  me  schaw. 

"  Great  Donald  of  the  Isles  did  claim 
Unto  the  lands  of  Ross  some  richt, 

And  to  the  Governour  he  came, 

Them  for  to  have,  gif  that  he  micht, 
Wha  saw  his  interest  was  but  slicht; 

And  therefore  answer'd  with  disdain. 
He  hasted  hame  baith  day  and  nicht, 

And  sent  nae  bodword'  back  again. 

"  But  Donald,  richt  impatient 

Of  that  answer  Duke  Robert  gave, 

He  vow'd  to  God  omnipotent. 

All  the  hale"  lands  of  Ross  to  have, 
Or  else  be  graithit  in  his  grave.  "* 

He  wou'd  not  quat  his  richt  for  nocht, 
Nor  be  abused  like  a  slave; 

That  bargin  shou'd  be  dearly  bocht. 

"  Then  hastilie  he  did  command 

That  all  his  weir-men  shou'd  convene; 
Ilk  ane  weel  harnessed  frae  hand, 

To  meet  and  hear  what  he  did  mean. 

He  waxed  wrath  and  vowed  tein ;  • 
Swearin'  he  wou'd  surprise  the  North, 

Subdue  the  burgh  of  Aberdeen, 
Mearns,  Angus,  and  all  Fyfe  to  Forth. 

"  Thus  with  the  weir-men  of  the  Isles, 
Wha  were  aye  at  his  bidding  boun' ; 

With  mony  mae,  with  force  and  wiles, 
Richt  far  and  near,  baith  up  and  doun; 

«  "Tent:"  heed. 

1  "  Bodword :  "  message. 

*  "  Hale :  "  whole. 

<*  '■  Graithit,"  &&:  buried  clad  in  his  anronr. 

•  "  Tein: "  revenge. 


446  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Through  mount  and  muir,  frae  toun  to  toun, 
Alangst  the  lands  of  Eoss  he  roars, 

And  all  obey'd  at  his  bandoun, « 
Even  frae  the  north  to  southern  shores. 

8  "  Then  all  the  countrie-men  did  yield, 

For  nae  resistance  durst  they  mak', 
Nor  offer  battle  in  the  field, 

By  force  of  arms  to  bear  him  back. 

But  they  resolved  all,  and  spak', 
That  best  it  was  for  their  behove, 

They  shou'd  him  for  their  chieftain  tak', 
Believing  weel  he  did  them  love. 

9  "  Then  he  a  proclamation  made, 

All  men  to  meet  at  Inverness, 
Through  Murray-land  to  make  a  raid, 

Frae  Arthursyre  unto  Spey-ness; 

And  furthemiair  he  sent  express 
To  show  his  colours  and  ensenzie,  * 

To  all  and  sundry,  mair  and  less, 
Throughout  the  bounds  of  Boyne  and  Enzie. 

10  "  And  then  through  fair  Strathbogie  land. 

His  purpose  was  for  to  pursue ; 
And  whasoever  durst  gainstand, 

That  race  they  shou'd  full  sairly  rue ; 

Then  he  bade  all  his  men  be  true, 
/  And  him  defend  by  force  and  slicht; 

And  promised  them  rewards  enow,* 
And  make  them  men  of  meikle  micht. 

11  "  Without  resistance,  as  he  said, 

Through  all  these  parts  he  stoutly  pass'd, 
Where  some  were  wae,  and  some  were  glad ; 

But  Garioch  was  all  aghast. 

Through  all  these  fields  he  sped  him  fast, 
For  sic  a  sight  was  never  seen ; 

And  then,  forsooth,  he  langed,  at  last, 
To  see  the  burgh  of  Aberdeen. 

12  "  To  hinder  this  proud  enterprise, 

The  stout  and  mighty  Earl  of  Mar, 
With  all  his  men  in  arms  did  rise, 
Even  frae  Curgarf  to  Craigy  var ; 

"  "Bandoun:"  command, 
i  "  Ensenzie : "  ensigns. 
«  "Enow:"  enough. 


THE  BATTLE   OF  HABLAW.  447 


And  down  the  side  of  Don  right  far, 
Angus  and  Mearns  did  all  convene, 

To  fight,  or  Donald  came  sae  nar 
The  royal  burgh  of  Aberdeen. 

13  "  And  thus  the  martial  Earl  of  Mar 

March'd'  with  his  men  in  right  array ; 
Before  his  enemy  was  aware, 

His  banner  bauldly  did  display ; 

For  weel  enough  they  kenn'd  the  way, 
And  all  their  semblance  weel  they  saw ; 

Withoutin  danger  or  delay. 
Come  hastily  to  the  Harlaw. 

14  "  With  him  the  brave  Lord  Ogilvy, 

Of  Angus  sheriff  principal ; 
The  Constable  of  gude  Dundee, 

The  vanguard  led  before  them  all ; 

Suppose  in  number  they  were  small, 
They  first  right  bauldly  did  pursue, 

And  made  their  faes  before  them  fall, 
Wha  then  that  race  did  sairly  rue. 

15  "  And  then  the  worthy  Lord  Saltoun, 

The  strong  undoubted  Laird  of  Drum, 
The  stalwart  Laird  of  Lawriestoun, 

With  ilk  their  forces  all  and  some ; 

Panmuir,  with  all  his  men,  did  come ; 
The  Provost  of  brave  Aberdeen, 

With  trumpets  and  with  tuck  of  drum, 
Came  shortly  in  their  armour  scheen. 

16  "  These  with  the  Earl  of  Mar  came  on, 

In  the  rear-ward  right  orderlie, 
Their  enemies  to  set  upon ; 

In  awful  manner,  hardilie, 

Together  vow'd  to  live  and  dee, 
Since  they  had  marched  mony  miles, 

For  to  suppress  the  tyrannic 
Of  doubted*  Donald  of  the  Isles. 

17  "  But  he,  in  number  ten  to  ane. 

Eight  subtilly  alang  did  ride, 
With  Malcomtosh,  and  fell  Maclean, 
•  With  all  their  power  at  their  side ; 

Presuming  on  their  strength  and  pride. 
Without  all  fear  or  any  awe. 

Eight  bauldly  battle  till  abide, 
Hard  by  the  town  of  fair  Harlaw. 
"  "Doubted:"  redoubted. 


448  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


18  "  The  armies  met,  the  trumpet  sounds, 

The  dandring  drums  aloud  did  tuck : 
Baith  armies  byding  on  the  bounds, 

Till  ane  of  them  the  fields  shou'd  bruik;" 

Nae  help  was  therfore,  nane  wou'd  jouk;* 
Fierce  was  the  fight  on  ilka  side, 

And  on  the  ground  lay  many  a  bouk," 
Of  them  that  there  did  battle  bide. 

19  "  With  doubtsome  victory  they  dealt ; 

The  bluidy  battle  lastit  lang ; 
Each  man  his  neighbour's  force  there  felt, 

The  weakest  aft-times  gat  the  wrang ; 

There  was  nae  mowis"*  there  them  amang, 
Naething  was  heard  but  heavy  knocks; 

That  echo  made  a  duleful  sang 
Thereto  resounding  frae  the  rocks. 

20  "  But  Donald's  men  at  last  gave  back, 

For  they  were  all  out  of  array ; 
The  Earl  of  Mar's  men  through  them  brak'. 

Pursuing  sharply  in  their  way, 

Their  enemies  to  take  or  slay, 
By  dint  of  force  to  gar  them  yield ; 

Wha  were  right  blythe  to  win  away, 
And  sae  for  feardness  •  tint-'  the  field. 

21  "  Then  Donald  fled,  and  that  full  fast, 

To  mountains  hich,  for  all  his  micht, 
For  he  and  his  were  all  aghast. 

And  ran  till  they  were  out  of  sicht: 

And  sae  of  Ross  he  lost  his  richt. 
Though  mony  men  with  him  he  brocht; 

Towards  the  Isles  fled  day  and  nicht, 
And  all  he  won  was  dearlie  bocht. 

22  "  This  is  (quod  he)  the  richt  report 

Of  all  that  I  did  hear  and  knaw; 
Though  my  discourse  be  something  short, 

Take  this  to  be  a  richt  sooth  saw." 

Contrarie  God  and  the  king's  law, 
There  was  spilt  meikle  Christian  bluid, 

Into  the  battle  of  Harlaw ; 
This  is  the  sum,  sae  I  conclude. 

*"Bruik: "  retain  possession  of.  '"Feardness:"  fright  or  cowardice. 

b  "Jouk:"  bend  to  avoid  a  blow.  /"Tint:"  lost 

e"Bouk:"  body.  '  "Sooth  saw:"  true  narrative. 
a  "  Mo  wis: "  jesting. 


THE  BATTLE  OP  HARLAW.  449 


23  "  But  yet  a  bonnie  while  abide, 

And  I  shall  make  thee  clearly  ken, 
What  slauchter  was  on  ilka  side, 

Of  Lawland  and  of  Highland  men, 

Wha  for  their  awin  have  ever  been; 
These  lazy  loons  might  weel  be  spared, 

Chased  like  deers  into  their  dens, 
And  gat  their  wages  for  reward. 

24  "  Malcomtosh,  of  the  clan  head-chief, 

Maclean  with  his  great  hauchty  head, 
With  all  their  succour  and  relief, 

Were  dulefuUy  dung  to  the  deid; 

And  now  we  are  free'd  of  their  feid,* 
They  will  not  lang  to  come  again; 

Thousands  with  them,  without  remead, 
On  Donald's  side,  that  day  were  slain. 

25  "  And  on  the  other  side  were  lost, 

Into  the  field  that  dismal  day. 
Chief  men  of  worth  (of  meikle  cost). 

To  be  lamented  sair  for  aye : 

The  Lord  Saltoun  of  Kothemay, 
A  man  of  micht  and  meikle  main ; 

Great  dolour  was  for  his  decay, 
That  sae  unhappily  was  slain. 

26  "  Of  the  best  men  amang  them  was 

The  gracious  gude  Lord  Ogilvy, 
The  sherilT-principal  of  Angus, 

Renown'd  for  truth  and  equitie, 

For  faith  and  magnanimitie ; 
He  had  few  fallows  *  in  the  field, 

Yet  fell  by  fatal  destinie, 
For  he  naeways  wou'd  grant  to  yield. 

27  "  Sir  James  Scrimgeour  of  Duddop,  knicht, 

Great  Constable  of  fair  Dundee, 
Unto  the  duleful  death  was  dicht; 

The  king's  chief  bannerman  was  he, 

A  valiant  man  of  chivalrie. 
Whose  predecessors  wan  that  place 

At  Spey,  with  gude  King  William  frie  ' 
'Gainst  Murray,  and  Macduncan's  race. 

«  "Feid:"  fend. 
6  "Fallows:"  equals. 
"  "Frie:"  nobly.  « 

2g 


450  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OP  SCOTLAND. 


28  "  Gude  Sir  Alexander  Irvine, 

The  much  renowned  laird  of  Drum, 
Nane  in  his  days  was  better  seen; 

When  they  were  'sembled  all  and  some; 

To  praise  him  we  shou'd  not  be  dumb, 
For  valour,  wit,  and  worthiness; 

To  end  his  days  he  there  did  come, 
Whose  ransom  is  remediless. 

29  "  And  there  the  Knicht  of  Lawriestoun 

Was  slain  into  his  armour  scheen; 
And  gude  Sir  Robert  Davidson, 

Wha  Provost  was  of  Aberdeen; 

The  Knicht  of  Panmure  as  was  seen, 
A  mortal  man  in  armour  bricht; 

Sir  Thomas  Murray,  stout  and  keen, 
Left  to  the  warld  their  last  gude  nicht. 

SO     "  There  was  not,  since  King  Kenneth's  days, 

Sic  strange  intestine  cruel  strife 
In  Scotland  seen,  as  ilk  man  says, 

Where  mony  likelie  lost  their  life ; 

Which  made  divorce  'tween  man  and  wife. 
And  mony  children  fatherless, 

Which  in  this  realm  has  been  full  rife ; 
Lord!  help  these  lands,  our  wrangs  redress! 

31     "  In  July,  on  Saint  James  his  even, 

That  four-and-twenty  dismal  day, 
Twelve  hundred,  ten  score,  and  eleven. 

Of  years  since  Christ,  the  sooth  to  say; 

Men  will  remember  as  they  may. 
When  thus  the  veritie  they  knaw; 

And  mony  a  ane  may  mourn  for  aye 
The  grim  battle  of  the  Harlaw." 


BATTLE  OF  HARLAW. 

TRADITIONARY  VERSION. 

A  set  of  this,  as  communicated  by  Lady  Jane  Scott  to  Professor 
Aytoun,  appeared  in  Ballads  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.,  p.  75.  And  another 
set,  almost  identical,  but  with  three  additional  stanzas,  was  com- 
municated by  a  Mr.  A.  Ferguson  to  Notes  and  Queries,  third  series, 
voL  vii.,  May  20,  1865. 


Battle  of  hablaw.  451 


This  last  is  the  one  here  followed,  with  the  exception  of  some 
little  change  in  the  orthography,  and  one  or  two  verbal  corrections. 
The  additional  stanzas  are  those  here  numbered  15,  16,  and  18. 

1  As  I  came  in  by  Dunidier, 

And  dawn  by  Wetberha', 
There  were  fifty  thousand  Hielan'men, 
All  marching  to  Harlaw. 

{Chorus.) — In  a  dree,  dree,  drady  drumtie  dree. 

2  As  I  came  on,  and  farther  on, 

And  down  and  by  Balquhain, 
Oh,  there  I  met  Sir  James  the  Eose, 
With  him  Sir  John  the  Graeme. 

3  "  Oh,  came  ye  frae  the  Hielan's,  man? 

And  came  ye  all  the  wye? 
Saw  ye  MacDonell  and  his  men, 
Come  marching  frae  the  Skye?" 

4  "  Yes,  she  came  frae  the  Hielan's,  man, 

And  she  came  all  the  wye; 
And  she  saw  MacDonell  and  his  men, 
Come  marching  frae  the  Skye." 

5  "  Oh,  were  ye  near,  and  near  enough? 

Did  ye  their  numbers  see  ? 
Come,  tell  to  me,  John  Hielan'man, 
What  might  their  numbers  be?" 

6  "  Yes,  she  was  near,  and  near  enough, 

And  she  their  numbers  saw ; 
There  were  fifty  thousand  Hielan'men 
All  marching  for  Harlaw." 

7  "  If  that  be  true,"  quo'  James  the  Kose, 

"  We'll  no  come  meikle  speed ; 
We'll  cry  upon  our  merry  men, 
And  turn  our  horses'  heads." 

8  "  Oh  no,  oh  no !"  quo'  John  the  Graeme, 

"  That  thing  maun  never  be ; 
The  gallant  Graemes  were  never  beat,^ — 
We'll  try  what  we  can  dee." 

[A^.J5.— The  battle  has  now  commenced  and  is  raging.] 


452  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


9     As  I  came  on,  and  farther  on, 
And  down  and  by  Harlaw, 
They  fell  full  close  on  ilka  side, 
Sic  fun*  ye  never  saw. 

10     They  fell  full  close  on  ilka  side, 
Sic  fun  ye  never  saw ; 
For  Hielan'  swords  gaed  clash  for  clash, 
At  the  battle  of  Harlaw! 

H     The  Hielanhnen  with  their  lang  swords, 
They  laid  on  us  full  sair ; 
And  they  drave  back  our  merry  men, 
Three  acres,  breadth  and  mair. 

12  Brave  Forbes  did  to  his  brother  say,— 

"  Now,  brother,  dinna  ye  see. 
They  beat  us  back  on  ilka  side. 
And  we'll  be  forced  to  flee  I" 

13  "Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  brither  dear, 

That  thing  maun  never  be ; 
Take  ye  your  gude  sword  in  your  hand, 
And  come  your  ways  with  me." 

14  "'  Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  brither  dear. 

The  clans  they  are  ower  Strang ; 
And  they  drive  back  our  merry  men 
With  swords  baith  sharp  and  lang." 

15  Brave  Forbes  unto  his  men  did  say,— 

"  Now  take  your  rest  awhile, 
Until  I  send  to  Drumminnor, 
To  fetch  my  coat  of  mail." 

16  Brave  Forbes'  henchman  then  did  ride, 

And  his  horse  did  not  fail ; 
For  in  twa  hours  and  a  quarter 
He  brought  the  coat  of  mail. 

17  Then  back  to  back  the  brithers  twa 

Gaed  in  amang  the  thrang ; 
And  they  swept  down  the  Hielan'men, 
With  swords  baith  sharp  and  lang. 

*  Rather  grim  sport  Professor  Aytoun's  copy,  in  place  of  "  fun,"  reads  "  straits." 
or  strokes.  The  preceding  version  says  truly  (stanza  19),  that  ''There  was  nae 
luowis  " — /.  e.,  no  joke. 


BATTLE  OF  HAELAW,  453 


18  MacDonell  he  was  young  and  stout, 

Had  on  his  coat  of  mail, 
And  he  has  gane  out  thro'  them  all, 
To  try  his  hand  himsel'. 

19  The  first -ae  stroke  that  Forbes  struck, 

Made  the  great  MacDonell  reel ; 
The  second  stroke  that  Forbes  struck, 
The  brave  MacDonell  fell.* 

20  And  siccan  a  pilleurichie,f 

The  like  ye  never  saw, 
As  was  amang  the  Hielan'men, 
When  they  saw  MacDonell  fa'. 

21  And  when  they  saw  that  he  was  dead, 

They  turn'd  and  ran  awa ; 
And  they  buried  him  in  Legget's  Den, 
A  large  mile  frae  Harlaw.$ 

22  They  rode,  they  ran,  and  some  did  gang, — > 

They  were  of  small  record ; 

For  Forbes  and  his  merry  men 

Slew  maist  all  by  the  road. 

23  On  Munonday  at  morning, 

The  battle  it  began ; 
On  Saturday  at  gloamin', 

Ye'd  scarce  tell  wha  had  wan. 

24  And  sic  a  weary  burying, 

The  like  ye  never  saw, 
As  there  was  the  Sunday  after  that. 
On  the  muirs  down  by  Harlaw. 

25  And  if  Hielan'  lasses  speer  at  ye 

For  them  that  gaed  awa. 
Ye  may  tell  them  plain,  and  plain  enough, 
They're  sleeping  at  Harlaw! 

•  MacDonell  did  not  falL    See  preceding  version,  stanza  21. 

t  Professor  Aytoun's  copy  reads  "  Pitlarichie."  Either  or  both  seem  Aberdeen- 
nhire  words,  meaning  the  same  as  Hullabuloo  in  ordinary  Scots,  or  Hubbub  in 
English. 

t  "  Some  twa  three  miles  awa." — Notes  and  Queries  version. 

Neither  are  accurate.  Legget's  Den  is  a  farm  steading,  or  house,  situated  about 
half  a  mile  to  the  west  cf  the  battlefield. 

Mr.  Ty  tier  suggests,  that  the  tomb  pointed  out  as  that  of  Donald,  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
may  either  be  that  "  of  the  chief  of  Maclean,  or  of  Macintosh,  both  of  whom  fell  in 
the  ba,Me."—lIiiiory  o/ Scotland,  voL  iii,  note,  p.  334  (edit  1866). 


454  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


YOUNG  WATERS. 

Two  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared.  For  the  publication 
of  the  first,  which  was  printed  "at  Glasgow,  in  one  single  sheet,* 
the  world  is  indebted  ...  to  the  Lady  Jean  Hume  (or  Home), 
sister  to  the  Earl  of  Hume  (or  Home),  who  died  at  Gibraltar,"  1761. 

The  ballad  appeared  shortly  thereafter  in  Percy's  Beliques,  vol.  ii. ; 
and  it  is  there  suggested  that  it  "covertly  alludes  to  the  indiscreet 
partiality  which  Queen  Aime  of  Denmark  is  said  to  have  shown  for 
the  bonnie  Earl  of  Murray ; "  which  trade  incident  forms  the  theme 
of  another  baUad,  further  on  in  this  work. 

A  second,  much  longer  and  more  circumstantial,  version  ajipears  in 
Mr.  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  15.  In  a  note,  p.  291,  Mr. 
Buchan  refers  to  the  previous  version  as  "a  mutilated  edition  of  this 
beautiful  old  ballad."  He  also  states  it  as  his  opinion,  "that  the 
'  Young  Waters '  was  David  Graham  of  Fintray,  who  was  found 
guilty,  and  beheaded  the  16th  February,  1592,  for  being  concerned 
in  a  Popish  plot ; — the  particulars  of  which  are  to  be  found  recorded 
in  Spotiswood's  History,  p.  391." 

Dr.  Eobert  Chambers,  who  printed  an  edition,  collated  from  the  two 
preceding,  in  his  Scottish  Ballads  (p.  29),  has  there  suggested,  "  That 
it  alludes  to  the  fate  of  some  one  of  the  Scottish  nobles  executed  by 
James  I. ,  after  his  return  from  his  captivity  in  England.  It  is  very 
probable,"  he  adds,  "  that  Walter  Stewart,  second  son  of  the  Duke  of 
Albany,  is  the  individual  referred  to.  Many  circumstances  in  the 
ballad  go  to  prove  this : — the  name,  which  may  be  a  corruption  of 
Walter ;  the  mention  of  the  Heading  (beheading)  Hill  of  Stirling, 
which  is  known  to  have  been  the  very  scene  of  Walter  Stewart's 
execution  ;  the  relationship  which  '  Young  Waters '  claims  with  the 
king ;  and  the  sympathy  expressed  by  the  people,  in  the  last  verse, 
for  the  fate  of  the  young  knight,  which  exactly  tallies  -with  what  is 
told  us  by  the  Scottish  historians,  regarding  the  popular  feeling 
expressed  in  favour  of  the  numerous  nobles  and  princes  of  his  own 
blood,  whom  the  king  saw  [or  thought]  it  necessary  to  sacrifice. 
There  is  in  the  ballad  just  that  precise  degree  of  vagueness,  inappU- 
cability,  and  exaggeration,  which  the  people  always  give  to  such 
an  historical  fact  when  they  are  left  to  relate  it  in  their  own  way." 
(Note,  p.  34.) 

The  opinion  so  ably  indicated  in  the  last  extract  has  been  aban- 
doned by  its  writer,  without  much  show  of  reason  or  argument  for 
the  change.t 

But  until  Dr.  Chambers,  or  some  one  else,  refutes  his  early  con- 
fession of  faith  in  a  satisfactory  maimer,  we  shall  continue  to  regard 
the  above  expression  of  it  as  an  extremely  likely  solution  of  the 
matter ;  and  can  only  wonder  at,   and  lament  the  sceptical  and 

♦  The  title  is  as  follows : — "  Young  Waters :  an  Ancient  Scottish  Poem,  never 
before  printed.  Glasgow :  Printed  and  sold  by  Eobert  and  Andrew  Foulis,  MDCOLV. 
Small  4to,  pp.  8." 

t  See  Romantic  Scottish  Ballads:  their  Epoch  and  Authorship.  ...  By  Eobert 
Chambers,  F.E.S.E.,  &c.,  &a    1859. 


YOUNG  WATERS.  455 


heretical  notions  which  have  induced  him  to  deny  the  faith  of  hia 
earher  years. 

That  the  assumed  fact  of  Lady  Wardlaw  being  the  author  of 
"Hardyknute"  should  lead  a  writer  of  Dr.  ChaniDers's  eminence, 
knowledge,  and  experience,  to  jump  to  the  conclusion  that  she  also 
wrote  "Young  Waters,"  "Sir  Patrick  Spens,"  "Gil  Morice,"  "Fause 
Foodrage,"  and  others  of  our  most  popular  ballads,  to  the  number  of 
twenty-five,  and  to  assert  that  she  was  the  "literary  foster-mother" 
of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  is  certainly  one  of  the  greatest  Curiosities  of 
Literature  in  modem  times.  * 

Stanzas  1  to  9,  inclusive,  are  from  Lady  Home's  version ;  10  to  13, 
inclusive,  from  Mr.  Buchan's  ;  14  to  16  are  nearly  the  same  in  both  ; 
while  the  rest  are  from  Mr.  Buchan's  version,  with  the  exceptions 
noted  under  the  text. 

1    About  Yule,  when  the  wind  blew  cool, 

And  the  round  table  began,  ' 

Oh,  there  is  come  to  our  king's  court 
Mony  a  well-favour'd  man.f 

*  In  extenaation  of  Dr.  Chambers,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  first  hint  as  to 
Lady  Wardlaw's  sup]posed  authorship  of  "  Sir  Patriclc  Spens."  was  thrown  out  by 
Mr.  David  Laing,  in  nis  notes  to  Johnson's  Museum,  on  "Hardyknute,"  p.  320*,  and 
"  Sir  Patrick  Spens,"  p.  457.  Dr.  Chambers  has  either  improved  upon  this  hint  with 
a  vengeance,  or  his  Lady  Wardlaw  Heresy  has  been  broached  as  a  satirical  way  of 
demolishing  it.  If  the  latter,  his  paper  ought  to  rank  in  future  with  such  brochures 
as  Archbishop  Whately's  Historic  Doubts  Relative  to  Napoleon. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that,  after  an  interval  of  ten  years,  Dr.  Chambers  issued 
another  deliverauce  on  the  subject,  in  the  form  of  a  "  Note  for  the  Fourth  Edition, 
1869,"  of  his  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland.  In  this  note  he  states : — "  I  am  now  sen- 
sible of  having  pressed  the  claims  of  Lady  Wardlaw  too  exclusively ;  it  is  more 
probable  that  several  persons  were  engaged  in  this  task  throughout  tiie  eighteenth, 
century,  though  it  is  difBoult  to  make  sure  of  the  particular  group  attributable  to 
each  person. " 

Dr.  Chambers  next  rather  disingenuously  lugs  in  Eitson  and  Scott  as  witnesses 
on  the  side  of  scepticism.  He  notes  Scott's  suspicion  as  to  the  authenticity  of  the 
ballads  furnished  to  him  and  Mr.  Jamieson,  but  fails  to  note  also  that  Scott,  after 
investigating  the  matter,  expressed  his  most  unhesitating  faith  In  their  authenticity. 
See  ante,  p.  128.  Dr.  Chambers  uncharitably  and  nngallantly  winds  up  by  accusing 
Mrs.  Brown  of  falsehood,  fraud,  and  wilful  imposition,  in  the  words  which  we  shall 
now  quote: — 

"  That  Scott  was  not  incapable  of  being  imposed  upon,  has  already  been  fully  estab- 
lished by  the  notable  case  of  Mr.  Surtees  of  Durham,  who  obtained  his  friendship 
by  sending  him  two  ballads  of  his  own,  vamped  up  as  gatherings  from  tradition. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  my  venerated  friend  was  not  lees  the  victim  of  this  Mrs. 
Brown,  wife  of  the  minister  of  Falkland,  who  herself  was  a  scribbler  of  poetry,  but 
too  respectable  to  be  capable  of  imposture." 

This  additional  somerset  of  Dr.  Chambers  leaves  us  still  more  puzzled  than  ever 
as  to  whether  he  is  in  jest  or  earnest  Some  of  our  Southern  friends,  who  believe 
themselves  much  smarter  at  seeing  either  the  point  of  a  jest,  or  through  a  mud  fence, 
than  any  dull-headed  Scotsman  can  pretend  to  be,  may,  however,  kindly  enlighten 
us  on  the  subject. 

t  "  It  fell  about  the  gude  Yule  time. 

When  cups  and  stoups  gaed  roixn', 
Down  it  came  him  Young  Waters, 
To  welcome  James,  our  king. 

"  The  great,  the  great  together  rade, 
The  sma"  came  a'  behin'; 
But  wi'  Young  Waters,  that  brave  knight, 
There  came  a  gay  gatherin'."— Buchan's  version. 


456  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  The  Queen  look'd  o'er  the  castle  wall, 

Beheld  baith  dale  and  down, 
And  there  she  saw  [the]  Young  Waters 
Come  riding  to  the  town. 

3  His  footmen  they  did  rin  before, 

His  horsemen  rode  behind ; 
And  his  mantle,  of  the  burning  gowd. 
Did  keep  him  from  the  wind. 

4  Gowden  graith'd  his  horse  before. 

And  siller  shod  behind ; 
The  horse  Young  Waters  rade  upon 
Was  fleeter  than  the  wind. 

6    Out  then  spake  a  wylie  lord, 
And  to  the  Queen  said  he : 
"  Oh,  tell  me,  wha  's  the  fairest  face 
Rides  in  the  company?" 

6  "  I've  seen  lords,  and  I  ve  seen  lairds. 

And  knights  of  high  degree  ; 
But  a  fairer  face  than  Young  Waters' 
Mine  een  did  never  see." 

7  Out  then  spake  the  jealous  king, 

(And  an  angry  man  was  he) : 

"  Oh,  if  he  had  been  twice  as  fair, 

You  might  ha'e  excepted  me." 

8  "  You're  neither  laird  nor  lord,"  she  says, 

"  But  the  king  that  wears  the  crown : 
There  's  not  a  knight  in  fair  Scotland, 
But  to  thee  maun  bow  down." 

9  But  all  that  she  cou'd  do  or  say, 

Appeased  he  wou'dna  be; 
And  for  the  words  which  she  had  said, 
Young  Waters  he  maun  die. 

10  Young  Waters  came  before  the  king. 

Fell  low  down  on  his  knee: 
"  Win  up,  win  up  [now,]  Young  Waters, 
What 's  this  I  hear  of  thee?" 

11  "  What  ails  the  king  at  me,"  he  said, 

"What  ails  the  king  at  me?" 
"  Oh,  it  is  tauld  me  the  day,  Sir  Knight, 
Ye've  done  me  treasonie." 


TOUNG  WATERS.  457 


12  "  Liars  will  lee  on  fell  gude  men, 

Sae  will  they  do  on  me ; 
I  won'dna  wish  to  be  the  man 
That  liars  on  won'dna  lee." 

13  "  Yet,  nevertheless,"  the  king  did  say, 

"  To  prison  Strang  gang  ye ; 
And  nevertheless,"  the  king  did  say, 
"  Young  Waters,  ye  shall  dee." 

14  Syne  they  ha'e  ta'en  him  Young  Waters, 

Put  fetters  to  his  feet ; 
Syne  they  ha'e  ta'en  him  Young  Waters, 
Thrown  him  in  dungeon  deep. 

15  "  Aft  ha'e  I  ridden  thro'  Stirling  town, 

Thro'  heavy  wind  and  weet ; 
But  ne'er  rade  I  thro'  Stirling  town 
With  fetters  on  my  feet. 

16  "  Aft  ha'e  I  ridden  thro'  Stirling  town. 

Thro'  heavy  wind  and  rain ; 
Yet  ne'er  rade  I  thro'  Stirling  town, 
But  I  thought  to  ride  again."  * 

17  They  brought  him  to  the  Heading  hill 

His  horse  bot  and  his  saddle  ; 
And  they  brought  to  the  Heading  hill 
His  young  son  in  his  cradle. 

18  And  they  brought  to  the  Heading  hill 

His  hounds  intil  a  leish  ; 
And  they  brought  to  the  Heading  hill 
His  gos-hawk  in  a  jess. 

19  King  James  he  then  rade  up  the  hill 

And  mony  a  man  him  wi'; 
And  he  call'd  on  his  trusty  page. 
To  come  right  speedilie. 

20  "  Ye'll  do  ye  to  the  Earl  of  Mar, 

Where  he  sits  on  yon  hill ; 
Bid  him  loose  the  brand  frae  his  body, 
Young  Waters  for  to  kill." 

♦  Lady  Jean  Home's  version  reads, — 

"Ne'er  to  return  again." 

And  it  terminates  with  the  stanza  which  follows : — 

"  They  ha'e  ta'en  him  to  the  Headin'  hilL 
That  knight  sae  fair  to  see; 
And  for  the  words  the  Queen  had  spak, 
Young  Waters  he  did  dee." 


458  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


21  "  Oh,  God  forbid,"  the  earl  he  said, 

"  The  like  shou'd  e'er  fa'  me ; 
My  bodie  e'er  shou'd  bear  the  brand 
That  gars  Young  Waters  dee." 

22  Then  he  has  loosed  his  trusty  brand, 

And  cast  it  in  the  sea  ; 
Says — "  Never  let  them  get^  brand, 
Till  it  come  back  to  me." 

23  The  scaffold  it  prepared  was, 

And  he  did  mount  it  hie ; 
And  all  spectators  that  were  there, 
The  tears  did  blind  ilk  ee. 

24  "  Oh,  baud  your  tongues,  my  brethren  dear, 

And  mourn  nae  mair  for  me ; 
Ye're  seeking  grace  frae  a  graceless  face,* 
For  there  is  nane  to  gi'e. 

25  "  Ye'll  take  a  bit  of  canvas  claith. 

And  put  it  o'er  ilk  e'e ; 
And,  Jack,  my  man,  ye'll  be  at  band 
The  hour  that  1  shou'd  dee. 

26  "  Syne  aff  ye'll  take  my  bluidy  sark, 

Gi'e  it  fair  Margaret  Grahame ; 
For  she  may  curse  the  dowie  day 
That  brought  King  James  here  hame. 

27  "  Ye'll  bid  her  make  her  bed  narrow. 

And  make  it  naeways  wide ; 
For  a  brawer  man  than  Young  Waters 
Will  ne'er  streek  by  her  side. 

28  "  Bid  her  do  weel  to  my  young  son, 
;  And  gi'e  him  nurses  three ; 

•J^  But  if  he  live  to  be  a  man, 

,%.'  King  James  will  gar  him  dee." 

'*'■  29    He  call'd  upon  the  headsman  then, 

A  purse  of  gowd  him  ga'e  ; 
Says — "  Do  your  ofiSce,  headsman,  now. 
And  make  nae  mair  delay. 

30    "  Oh,  head  me  soon !  oh,  head  me  clean. 
And  put  me  out  of  pine ! 
For  it  is  by  the  king's  command; 
Sae  head  me  till  his  min'. 

*  This  line  occurs  in  the  sabseqnent  ballad  of  "  Jobnnie  Armstrong." 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MURRAY,  459 


31 


"  Tho'  by  him  I'm  condemn'd  to  dee, 

I'm  lieve  to  his  ain  kin ; 
[His  father  and  my  father,  they 

Were  ilk  ae  father's  son.]  * 

82     Then  he  laid  by  his  napkin  fine, 
Was  saft  as  ony  silk ; 
And  on  the  block  he  laid  his  neck, 
Was  whiter  than  the  milk. 

33  Says — "  Strike  the  blow,  ye  headsman,  now, 

Strike  with  your  axe  sae  keen  ; 
Oh,  strike  the  blow,  ye  headsman,  now, 
And  strike  baith  hard  and  clean."  f 

34  The  head  was  ta'en  frae  Young  Waters, 

And  mony  tears  were  shed; 
But  mair  did  mourn  for  fair  Margaret, 
As  she  lay  raving  mad. 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MUREAY. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  i.,  p.  369. 

"This  ballad  appears  to  have  been  composed  about  the  reign  of 
James  V.  It  commemorates  a  transaction,  supposed  to  have  taken 
place  betwixt  a  Scottish  monarch,  and  an  ancestor  of  the  ancient  family 
of  Murray  of  Philiphaugh,  in  Selkirkshire.  The  editor  is  unable  to 
ascertain  the  historical  foundation  of  the  tale ;  nor  is  it  probable  that 
any  light  can  be  thrown  upon  the  subject,  without  an  accurate 
examination  of  the  family  charter  chest.  It  is  certain,  that,  during 
the  civil  wars  betwixt  Bruce  and  Bahol,  the  famUy  of  Philiphaugh 
existed  and  was  powerful ;  for  their  ancestor,  Archibald  de  Moravia, 
subscribes  the  oath  of  fealty  to  Edward  I.,  a.d.  1296.  It  is,  therefore, 
not  unlikely,  that,  residing  in  a  wild  and  frontier  country,  they  may 

•  " '  And  for  the  truth,  I'll  plainly  tell, 
I  am  his  sister's  son.' 

" '  Gin  ye're  my  sister's  son,'  he  said, 
'It  is  nnkenn'd  to  me; ' 
'Oh,  mindna  ye  on  your  sister  Bess, 
That  lives  in  the  French  countrie  ?  * 

" '  Gin  Bess  then  be  your  mither  dear, 
As  I  trust  well  she  be ; 
Qae  hame,  gae  hame.  Young  Waters, 
Ye'se  ne'er  b3  slain  by  me.'  " — Buchan's  version. 

t  As  this  stanza  has  been  altered  from  Mr.  Buchan's  text,  the  original  is  here 
noted  as  under : — 

"  Says — '  Strike  the  blow,  ye  headsman  boy, 
And  that  right  speedllie ; 
It 's  never  be  said.  Here  goes  a  knight 
Was  ance  condema'd  to  die.'" 


460  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


have,  at  one  period  or  other,  during  these  commotions,  refused 
allegiance  to  the  feeble  monarch  of  the  day,  and  thus  extorted  from 
him  some  grant  of  territory  or  jurisdiction.  It  is  also  certain,  that, 
by  a  charter  from  James  IV.,  dated  Nov.  30,  1509,  John  Murray 
of  Philiphaugh  is  vested  with  the  dignity  of  heritable  sheriff  of 
Ettrick  Forest,  an  office  held  by  his  descendants  till  the  final  aboli- 
tion of  such  jurisdictions  by  28th  George  II.,  cap.  23.  But  it  seems 
difficult  to  believe,  that  the  circumstances,  mentioned  in  the  baUad, 
could  occur  under  the  reign  of  so  vigorous  a  monarch  as  James  IV. 
It  is  true,  that  the  Dramatis  Persona  introduced  seem  to  refer  to  the 
end  of  the  fifteenth,  or  beginning  of  the  sixteenth,  century ;  but  from 
this  it  can  only  be  argued,  that  the  author  himself  lived  soon  after 
that  period.  It  may,  therefore,  be  supposed  (unless  further  evidence 
can  be  procured,  tending  to  invalidate  the  conclusion),  that  the  bard, 
willing  to  pay  his  court  to  the  family,  has  connected  the  grant  of  the 
sheriffship  by  James  IV.,  with  some  former  dispute  betwixt  the 
Murrays  of  Philiphaugh  and  their  sovereign,  occurring,  either  while 
they  were  engaged  upon  the  side  of  Baliol,  or  in  the  subsequent  reigns 
of  David  II.  and  Robert  II.  and  III.,  when  the  English  possessed 
great  part  of  the  Scottish  frontier,  and  the  rest  was  in  so  lawless  a 
state  as  hardly  to  acknowledge  any  superior.  At  the  same  time,  this 
reasoning  is  not  absolutely  conclusive.  James  IV.  had  particular 
reasons  for  desiring  that  littrick  Forest,  which  actually  formed  part 
of  the  jointure  lands  of  Margaret,  his  queen,  should  be  kept  in  a 
stats  of  tranquillity. — Rymer,  vol.  xiii,  p.  66.  In  order  to  accomplish 
this  object,  it  was  natural  for  him,  according  to  the  policy  of  his  pre- 
decessors, to  invest  one  great  family  with  the  power  of  keeping  order 
among  the  rest.  It  is  even  probable,  that  the  Philiphaugh  famUy 
may  have  had  claims  upon  part  of  the  lordship  of  Ettrick  Forest, 
which  lay  intermingled  with  their  own  extensive  possessions;  and, 
in  the  course  of  arranging,  not  indeed  the  feudal  superiority,  but  the 
property,  of  these  lands,  a  dispute  may  have  arisen,  of  sufiicient 
importance  to  be  the  groundwork  of  a  ballad.  It  is  further  probable, 
that  the  Murrays,  like  other  Border  clans,  were  in  a  very  lawless 
state,  and  held  their  lands  merely  by  occupancy,  without  any  feudal 
right.  Indeed,  the  lands  of  the  various  proprietors  in  Ettrick  Forest 
(being  a  royal  demesne)  were  held  by  the  possessors,  not  in  property, 
but  as  the  kindly  tenants,  or  rentallers,  of  the  crown ;  and  it  is  only 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  5'ears  since  they  obtained  charters, 
striking  the  feu-duty  of  each  proprietor,  at  the  rate  of  the  quit-rent, 
which  he  formerly  paid.  This  state  of  possession  naturally  led  to  a 
confusion  of  rights  and  claims.  The  kings  of  Scotland  were  often 
reduced  to  the  humiUating  necessity  of  compromising  such  matters 
with  their  rebeUious  subjects,  and  James  himself  even  entered  into 
a  sort  of  league  with  Johnnie  Faa,  the  king  of  the  gypsies.  Perhaps, 
therefore,  the  tradition  handed  down  in  this  song,  may  have  had 
more  foundation  than  it  would  at  present  be  proper  positively  to 
assert. 

"The  merit  of  this  beautiful  old  tale,  it  is  thought,  will  be  fully 
acknowledged.  It  has  been,  for  a^es,  a  popular  song  in  Selkirkshire. 
The  scene  is,  by  the  common  people,  supposed  to  have  been  the  castle 
of  Newark,  upon  Yarrow.  This  is  highly  improbable,  because  Newark 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MURRAY.  461 


was  always  a  royal  fortress.  Indeed,  the  late  excellent  antiquarian, 
Mr.  Plnmmer,  sheriflF  depute  of  Selkirkshire,  has  assured  the  editor  that 
he  remembered  the  insignia  of  the  unicorns,  &c. ,  so  often  mentioned 
in  the  ballad,  in  existence  upon  the  old  tower  of  Hangingshaw,  the  seat 
of  the  Philiphaugh  family,  although,  upon  first  perusing  a  copy  of  the 
ballad,  he  was  inclined  t9  subscribe  to  the  popular  opinion.  ITie  tower 
of  Hangingshaw  has  been  demolished  for  many  years.  It  stood  in  a 
romantic  and  solitary  situation,  on  the  classical  banks  of  the  Yarrow. 
When  the  mountains  around  Hangingshaw  were  covered  with  the 
wild  copse  which  constituted  a  Scottish  forest,  a  more  secure  strong- 
hold for  an  outlawed  baron  can  hardly  be  imagined. 

"The  tradition  of  Ettrick  Forest  bears,  that  the  Outlaw  was  a 
man  of  prodigious  strength,  possessing  a  baton  or  club,  with  which  he 
laid  lee  (/'.  e.,  waste)  the  country  for  many  miles  round ;  and  that  he 
was,  at  length,  slain  by  Buccleuch,  or  some  of  his  clan,  at  a  little 
mount,  covered  with  fir-trees,  adjoining  to  Newark  castle,  and  said 
to  have  been  a  part  of  the  garden.  A  varying  tradition  bears  the 
place  of  his  death  to  have  been  near  to  the  house  of  the  Duke  of 
Buccleuch's  game-keei)er,  beneath  the  castle;  and,  that  the  fatal 
arrow  was  shot  by  Scott  of  Haining,  from  the  ruins  of  a  cottage  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Yarrow.  There  was  extant,  within  these  twenty 
years,  some  verses  of  a  song  on  his  death.  The  feud  betwixt  the 
Outlaw  and  the  Scotts  may  serve  to  explain  the  asperity,  with  which 
the  chieftain  of  that  clan  is  handled  in  the  ballad. 

"  In  publishing  the  following  ballad,  the  copy  principally  resorted  to 
is  one,  apparently  of  considerable  antiquity,  which  was  found  among 
the  papers  of  the  late  Mrs.  Cockbum,  of  Edinburgh,  a  lady  whose 
memory  will  be  long  honoured  by  all  who  knew  her.*  Another  copy, 
much  more  imperfect,  is  to  be  found  in  Glenriddel's  MS.  The  names 
are  in  this  last  miserably  mangled,  as  is  always  the  case  when  ballads 
are  taken  down  from  the  recitation  of  persons,  living  at  a  distance  from 
the  scenes  in  which  they  are  laid.  Mr.  Plummer  also  gave  the  editor 
a  few  additional  verses,  not  contained  in  either  copy,  which  are  thrown 
into  what  seemed  their  proper  place.  There  is  yet  another  copy,  in 
Mr.  Herd's  MSS.,  which  has  been  occasionally  made  use  of.  Two  verses 
are  restored  in  the  present  edition  from  the  recitation  of  Mr.  Mungo 
Park,  whose  toils,  during  his  patient  and  intrepid  travels  in  Africa, 
have  not  eradicated  from  his  recollection  the  legendary  lore  of  his 
native  country. 

"  The  arms  of  the  Philiphaugh  family  are  said  by  tradition  to 
allude  to  their  outlawed  state.  They  are  indeed  those  of  a  hunts- 
man, and  are  blazoned  thus  :  Argent,  a  hunting  horn  sable,  stringed 
and  garnished  gules,  on  a  chief  azure,  three  stars  of  the  first.  Crest, 
a  Demi  Forrester,  winding  his  horn,  proper.  Motto,  'Hinc  usque 
supema  venabor.'  " — Sir  Walter  Scott. 

[Another  copy,  as  given  "from  an  old  manuscript  in  the  Philip- 
haugh charter-chest,"  and  supposed  to  have  "been  written  "  or  copied 
"between  the  years  1689  and  1702,"  appears  in  Aytoun's  Ballads  of 
Scotland,  vol.  ii.,  p.   129.     The  copy  above  referred  to  as  "in  Mr. 

•  [Authoress  of  the  "Flowers  of  the  Forest,"— 

"I've  seen  the  smiling"  &c.] 


462  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Herd's  MSS.,"  has  since  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Maidment,  by 
whom  it  has  been  inserted  in  his  Scotish  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  ii, 
p.  66. 

The  differences  between  these  three  copies  are  immaterial,  but  the 
Minstrelsy  copy  is  the  most  complete,  and  therefore  the  preferable 
version.] 

1  Ettrick  Forest  is  a  fair  forest, 

In  it  grows  many  a  seemly  tree ; 
There 's  hart  and  hind,  and  dae  and  rae, 
And  of  all  wild  beasts  great  plentie. 

2  There 's  a  fair  castle,  bigg'd  with  lime  and  stane; 

Oh,  gin  it  stands  not  pleasantlie! 
n  the  forefront  of  that  castle  fair, 
Twa  unicorns  are  braw  to  see. 

3  There 's  the  picture  of  a  knight,  and  a  ladye  bright, 

And  the  green  hoUin  abune  their  brie ; 
There  an  Outlaw  keeps  five  hundred  men, 
He  keeps  a  royal  companie  ! 

4  His  merry  men  are  all  in  ae  livery  clad, 

Of  the  Lincoln  green  sae  gay  to  see ; 
He  and  his  ladye,  in  purple  clad, 
Oh,  gin  they  lived  not  royallie  I 

5  Word  is  gane  to  our  noble  king, 

In  Edinburgh,  where  that  he  lay. 
That  there  was  an  Outlaw  in  Ettrick  Forest, 
Counted  him  nought,  nor  all  his  courtrie  gay. 

6  "I  make  a  vow,"  then  the  gude  king  said, 

"  Unto  the  man  that  dear  bought  me, 
I'se  either  be  king  of  Ettrick  Forest, 

Or  king  of  Scotland  that  Outlaw  shall  bel" 

7  Then  spake  the  lord,  bight  Hamilton,* 

And  to  the  noble  king  said  he, — 
"  My  sovereign  prince,  some  counsel  take, 
First  at  your  nobles,  syne  at  me. 

8  "I  redd  ye,  send  yon  braw  Outlaw  till, 

And  see  gif  your  man  come  will  he : 
Desire  him  come  and  be  your  man. 
And  hold  of  you  yon  Forest  free. 

*  This  IB,  in  most  copies,  the  Earl  hight  Hamilton,  which  must  be  a  mistake  of  the 
reciters,  as  the  family  did  not  enjoy  that  title  till  1503. 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MURRAY.  463 


9     "  Gif  he  refuses  to  do  that, 

We'll  conquesB  baith  his  lands  and  he ! 
Or  else,  we'll  throw  his  castle  down, 
And  make  a  widow  of  his  gay  ladye." 

10  The  king  then  pall'd  a  gentleman, 

James  Boyd  (the  Earl  of  Arran  his  brother  was  he)  ;* 
When  James  he  came  before  the  king, 
He  knelt  before  him  on  his  knee. 

11  "  Welcome,  James  Boyd! "  said  our  noble  king, 

"  A  message  ye  maun  gang  for  me ; 
Ye  maun  hie  to  Ettrick  Forest, 
To  yon  Outlaw,  where  bideth  he. 

12  "  Ask  him  of  whom  he  halds  his  lands, 

Or  man,  wha  may  his  master  be  ; 

And  desire  him  come  and  be  my  man, 

And  bald  of  me  yon  Forest  free. 

13  "  To  Edinburgh  to  come  and  gang. 

His  safe  warrant  I  shall  gi'e ; 
And  gif  he  refuses  to  do  that. 
We'll  conquess  baith  his  lands  and  he. 

14  "  Thou  may'st  vow  I'll  cast  his  castle  down, 

And  make  a  widow  of  his  gay  ladye ; 
I'll  hang  his  merry  men,  pair  by  pair, 
In  ony  frith  where  I  may  them  see." 

15  James  Boyd- took  his  leave  of  the  noble  king; 

To  Ettrick  Forest  fair  came  he ; 
Down  Birkendale  Brae  when  that  he  came,f 
He  saw  the  fair  Forest  with  his  e'e. 

16  Baith  dae  and  rae,  and  hart  and  hind, 

And  of  all  wild  beasts  great  plentie ; 
He  heard  the  bows  that  bauldly  ring. 
And  arrows  whidderan'  him  near  by. 

•  Thomas  Boyd,  Earl  of  Arran,  was  forfeited,  with  his  father  and  uncle,  in  1469, 
for  an  attempt  ou  the  person  of  James  III.  He  had  a  son  James,  who  was  restored, 
and  in  favour  with  James  IV.,  about  liS2.  If  this  be  the  person  here  meant,  we 
should  read,  "  The  Earl  of  Arran  his  son  was  he."  Glenriddel's  copy  reads,  "  A 
Highland  laird  I'm  sure  was  he."  Beciters  sometimes  call  the  messenger,  the  Laird 
of  Skene. 

t  Birkendale  Brae,  now  commonly  called  Birkendailly,  is  a  steep  descent  on  the 
south  side  of  Minch-Moor,  which  separates  Tweeddale  from  Ettrick  Forest,  and 
from  the  top  of  which  you  have  the  first  view  of  the  woods  of  Hangingshaw,  the 
Castle  of  Newark,  and  the  romantic  dale  of  Yarrow. 


464  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF   SCOTLAND. 


17  Of  that  fair  castle  he  got  a  sight ; 

The  like  he  ne'er  saw  with  his  e'e ! 
On  the  fore  front  of  that  castle  fair 
Twa  unicorns  were  gay  to  see. 

18  The  picture  of  a  knight,  and  a  ladye  bright, 

And  the  green  hoUin  abune  their  brie ; 
Thereat  he  spy'd  five  hundred  men, 
Shooting  their  bows  on  Newark  Lee. 

19  They  were  all  in  ae  liv'ry  clad, 

Of  the  Lincoln  green  sae  gay  to  see ; 
His  men  were  all  clad  in  the  green, 
The  knight  was  armed  capapie, 

20  With  a  bended  bow,  on  a  milk-white  steed, 

And  I  wot  they  rank'd  right  bonnilie ; 
Thereby  Boyd  kenn'd  he  was  master  man. 
And  serv'd  him  in  his  ain  degree : 

21  "  God  mot  thee  save,  brave  Outlaw  Murray ! 

Thy  ladye,  and  all  thy  chivalrie  !" 
"  Marry,  thou 's  welcome,  gentleman, 

Some  king's  messenger  thou  seems  to  be." 

22  "  The  king  of  Scotland  sent  me  here, 

And,  gude  Outlaw,  I  am  sent  to  thee ; 
I  wou'd  wot  of  whom  ye  hold  your  lands, 
Or  man,  wha  may  thy  master  be?" 

23  "  Thir*  lands  are  mine!"  the  Outlaw  said; 

"  I  ken  nae  king  in  Christentie ; 
Frae  Southron  I  this  Forest  wan, 
When  the  king  nor  his  knights  were  not  to  see." 

24  "  He  desires  you'll  come  to  Edinburgh, 

And  hold  of  him  this  Forest  free; 
And,  gif  [that]  ye  refuse  to  do  this. 

He'll  conquess  baith  thy  lands  and  thee ; 
He  hath  vow'd  to  cast  thy  castle  down. 

And  make  a  widow  of  thy  gay  ladye. 

25  "  He'll  hang  thy  merry  men,  pair  by  pair. 

In  ony  frith  where  he  may  them  find." 
"  Aye,  by  my  troth ! "  the  Outlaw  said, 
*'  Then  wou'd  I  think  me  far  behind. 

»"Tliir:"  these. 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MURRAY.  465 


26  "  E'er  the  king  my  fair  countrie  get, 

This  land  that's  nativest  to  me, 
Mony  of  his  nobles  shall  be  cauld, 
Their  ladyes  shall  be  right  wearie." 

27  Then  spake  hie  ladye,  fair  of  face, 

Sh  e  said — "  Without  consent  of  me 
That  an  Outlaw  should  come  before  a  King ; 

I  am  right  rad  *  of  treasonrie : 
Bid  him  be  gude  to  his  lords  at  hame, 

For  Edinburgh  my  lord  shall  never  see." 

28  James  Boyd  took  his  leave  of  the  Outlaw  keen, 

To  Edinburgh  boun'  is  he ; 
And  when  he  came  before  the  king. 
He  knelt  lowly  on  his  knee. 

29  "  "Welcome,  James  Boyd ! "  said  our  noble  king; 

"  What  Forest  is  Ettrick  Forest  free?" 
"  Ettrick  Forest  is  the  fairest  Forest 
That  ever  man  saw  with  his  e'e. 

30  "  There 's  the  dae,  the  rae,  the  hart,  the  hynd. 

And  of  all  wild  beasts  great  plentie ; 
There 's  a  pretty  castle  of  lime  and  stane ; 
Oh,  gif  it  stands  not  pleasantlie ! 

81     "  There 's  in  the  forefront  of  that  castle 
Twa  unicorns,  sae  braw  to  see ; 
There 's  the  picture  of  a  knight,  and  a  ladye  bright, 
With  the  green  hoUin  abune  their  bree. 

32     "  There  the  Outlaw  keeps  five  hundred  men; 

He  keeps  a  royal  companie ! 
His  merry  men  in  ae  liv'ry  clad, 

Of  the  Lincoln  green  sae  gay  to  see; 
He  and  his  ladye,  in  purple  clad, 

Oh,  gin  they  live  not  royallie ! 

83     "He  says,  yon  Forest  is  his  own ; 
He  wan  it  frae  the  Southronie ; 
Sae  as  he  wan  it,  sae  will  he  keep  it, 
Contrair  all  kings  in  Christentie." 

34    "  Gar  warn  me  Perthshire,  and  Angus  baith : 
Fife  up  and  down,  and  the  Lothians  three. 
And  graith  my  horse!  "  said  the  noble  king, 
"  For  to  Ettrick  Forest  hie  will  I  me." 

*"Ead: "  in  dread. 

2h 


466  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


35     Then  word  is  gane  the  Outlaw  till, 

In  Ettrick  Forest,  where  dwelleth  he. 
That  the  king  was  coming  to  his  countrie, 
To  conquess  baith  his  lands  and  he. 

86  "I  make  a  vow,"  the  Outlaw  said, 

"  I  make  a  vow,  and  that  trulie. 
Were  there  but  three  men  to  take  my  part. 
Yon  king's  coming  full  dear  shou'd  bel" 

87  Then  messengers  he  called  forth, 

And  bade  them  hie  them  speedily : 
"  Ane  of  ye  gae  to  Halliday, 
The  laird  of  the  Corehead  is  he. 

88  "  He  certain  is  my  sister's  son ; 

Bid  him  come  quick  and  succour  me ! 
The  king  comes  on  for  Ettrick  Forest, 
And  landless  men  we  all  will  be." 

89  "  What  news  ?  what  news  ?  "  said  Halliday, 

"  Man,  frae  thy  master  unto  me  ?  " 
"  Not  as  we  wou'd ;  seeking  your  aid ; 
The   king 's  his  mortal  enemie." 

40  "  Aye,  by  my  troth ! "  said  Halliday, 

"  Even  for  that  it  repenteth  me; 
For  gif  he  lose  fair  Ettrick  Forest, 
He'll  take  fair  Moflfatdale  frae  me.* 

41  I'll  meet  him  with  five  hundred  men, 
And  surely  mair,  if  mae  may  be ; 

And  before  he  gets  the  Forest  fair, 
"We  all  will  die  on  Newark  Lee  I " 

42  The  Outlaw  call'd  a  messenger, 

And  bid  him  hie  him  speedilie, 
o  Andrew  Murray  of  Cockpool :  f 
"  That  man 's  a  dear  cousin  to  me; 
Desire  him  come,  and  make  me  aid, 
With  all  the  power  that  he  may  be." 

43  "  It  stands  me  hard,"  Andrew  Murray  said, 

"  Judge  gif  it  stands  na  hard  with  me; 

•  This  is  a  place  at  the  head  of  MoSat-water,  possessed  of  old  by  the  family  of 
Halliday. 

t  This  family  were  ancestors  of  the  Murrays,  Earls  of  Annandale ;  but  the  name 
of  the  representative  in  the  time  of  James  IV.  was  William,  not  Andrew.  Glen- 
riddel'B  MS.  reads,  "  the  country-keeper." 


THE   SANG   OF  THE   OUTLAW  MUERAT.  467 


To  enter  against  a  king  with  crown, 

And  set  my  lands  in  jeopardie ! 
Yet,  if  I  come  not  on  the  day, 

Surely  at  night  he  shall  me  see." 

44  To  Sir  James  Murray  of  Traquair,* 

A  message  'came  right  speedilie  : 
"  What  news  ?  what  news  ?  "  James  Murray  said, 
"  Man,  frae  thy  master  unto  me  ?  " 

45  "  What  needs  I  tell?  for  weel  ye  ken 

The  king 's  his  mortal  enemie ; 
And  now  he  is  coming  to  Ettrick  Forest, 
And  landless  men  ye  all  will  be." 

46  "  And,  by  my  troth,"  James  MuiTay  said, 

"  With  that  Outlaw  will  I  live  and  die; 
The  king  has  gifted  my  lands  lang  syne — 
It  cannot  be  nae  worse  with  me." 

47  The  king  was  coming  thro'  Caddon  Ford,"[" 

And  full  five  thousand  men  was  he ; 
They  saw  the  dark  Forest  them  before ; 
They  thought  it  awesome  for  to  see^ 

48  Then  spake  the  lord,  hight  Hamilton, 

And  to  the  noble  king  said  he, — 
"My  sovereign  liege,  some  counsel  take, 
First  at  your  nobles,  syne  at  me. 

49  "  Desire  him  meet  thee  at  Penmanscore, 

And  bring  four  in  his  companie ; 
Five  earls  shall  gang  yourself  before, 
Gude  cause  that  you  shou'd  honour'd  be. 

60     "  And,  gif  he  refuses  to  do  that. 

We'll  conquess  baith  his  lands  and  he ; 
There  shall  never  a  Murray,  after  him, 
Hold  land  in  Ettrick  Forest  free." 

*  Before  the  Barony  of  Traquair  became  the  property  of  the  Stewarts,  it  belonged 
to  a  family  of  Morrays,  afterwards  Murrays  of  Black-barony,  and  ancestors  of  Lord 
Elibank.  The  old  castle  was  situated  on  the  Tweed.  The  lands  of  Traquair  were 
forfeited  by  Willielmus  de  Moravia,  previous  to  1464;  for,  in  that  year,  a  charter, 
proceeding  upon  his  forfeiture,  was  granted  by  the  crown  "  WiUielmo  Douglas  de 
Cluny."  Sir  James  was,  perhaps,  the  heir  of  William  Murray.  It  would  further 
seem,  that  the  grant  in  1464  was  not  made  effectual  by  Douglas,  for  another  charter 
from  the  crown,  dated  the  3d  February,  1478,  conveys  the  estate  of  Traquair  to 
James  Stewart,  Earl  of  Buchan,  son  to  the  Black  Knight  of  Lome,  and  maternal  uncle 
to  James  III.,  from  whom  is  descended  the  present  Earl  of  Traquair.  The  first  royal 
grant  not  being  followed  by  possession,  it  is  very  possible  that  the  Murrays  may 
liavj  continued  to  occupy  Traquair  long  after  the  date  of  that  charter.  Hence,  Sir 
James  might  have  reason  to  say,  as  in  the  ballad—"  The  king  has  gifted  my  lands 
lang  syne." 

t  A  ford  on  the  Tvreed,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Caddon  Bum,  near  Yalr. 


468  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND, 


51  Then  spake  the  keen  laird  of  Buccleuch, 

A  stalworth  man  and  stern  was  he : 
"  For  a  king  to  gang  an  Outlaw  till, 
Is  beneath  his  state  and  his  dignitie. 

52  "  The  man  that  wons  yon  Forest  intil, 

He  lives  by  reif  and  felonie  ! 
Wherefore,  braid  on,  my  sovereign  liege! 

With  fire  and  sword  we'll  follow  thee ; 
Or,  gif  your  courtrie  lords,  fall  back, 

Our  borderers  shall  the  onset  gi'e." 

63    Then  out  and  spake  the  noble  king. 
And  round  him  cast  a  wilie  e'e  : 
"  Now  baud  thy  tongue,  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
"  Nor  speak  of  reif  nor  felonie ; 
For  had  every  honest  man  his  own  kye, 
A  right  puir  clan  thy  name  wou'd  be ! " 

54  The  king  then  call'd  a  gentleman, 

Eoyal  banner-bearer  there  was  he ; 
James  Hop  Pringle  of  Torsonse,  by  name;* 
He  came  and  knelt  upon  his  knee. 

55  "  Welcome,  James  Pringle  of  Torsonse ! 

A  message  ye  maun  gang  for  me ; 

Ye  maun  gae  to  yon  Outlaw  Murray, 

Surely  where  bauldly  bideth  he. 

56  "  Bid  him  meet  me  at  Penmanscore, 

And  bring  four  in  his  companie ; 
Five  earls  shall  come  with  mysel', 
Gude  reason  I  shou'd  honour'd  be. 

57  "  And,  gif  he  refuses  to  do  that, 

Bid  him  look  for  nae  gude  of  me ! 

There  shall  never  a  Murray,  after  him, 

Have  land  in  Ettrick  Forest  free." 

58  James  came  before  the  Outlaw  keen, 

And  serv'd  him  in  his  ain  degree  : 
"  Welcome,  James  Pringle  of  Torsonse, 
What  message  frae  the  king  to  me?" 

•  The  honourable  name  of  Pringle,  or  Hoppringle,  is  of  great  antiquity  in 
Koxburghshire  and  Selkirkshire.  Hie  old  tower  of  Torsonse  is  situated  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Gala.  There  are  three  other  ancient  and  distinguished  families  of  tliis 
name— those  of  Whitebank,  Clifton,  and  Torwoodlee. 


THE  SANG  OF  THE  OUTLAW  MURRAY.  469 


59     "He  bids  ye  meet  him  at  Penmanscore,* 
And  bring  four  in  your  companie; 
Five  earls  shall  gang  himsel'  before, 
Nae  mair  in  number  will  he  be. 

CO     "  And,  gif  ypu  refuse  to  do  that, 

(I  freely  here  upgive  with  thee,) 
He'll  cast  yon  bonnie  castle  down. 
And  make  a  widow  of  that  gay  ladye. 

61  "  He'll  loose  yon  bluidhound  borderers, 

With  tire  and  sword  to  follow  thee; 
There  will  never  a  Murray,  after  thysel', 
Have  land  in  Ettrick  Forest  free." 

62  "  It  stands  me  hard,'^  the  Outlaw  said; 

"  Judge  gif  it  stands  na  hard  with  me  I 
Wha  reck  not  losing  of  mysel', 
But  all  my  offspring  after  me. 

63  "  My  merry  men's  lives,  my  widow's  tears — 

There  lies  the  pang  that  pinches  me! 
When  I  am  straught  in  bluidie  card, 
Yon  castle  will  be  right  drearie. 

64  "  Auld  Halliday,  young  Halliday, 

Ye  shall  be  twa  to  gang  with  me ; 
Andrew  Murray,  and  Sir  James  Murray, 
We'll  be  nae  mae  in  companie." 

65  When  that  they  came  before  the  king, 

They  fell  before  him  on  their  knee : 
"  Grant  mercie,  mercie,  noble  king! 
E'en  for  his  sake  that  died  on  tree." 

•  Commonly  called  Pennanscore,  Is  a  hollow  on  the  top  of  a  high  ridge  of  hills, 
dividing  the  vales  of  Tweed  and  Tarrow,  a  little  to  the  eastward  of  Mineh-Moor. 
It  is  the  outermost  point  of  the  lands  of  Broadmeadows.  The  Glenriddel  MS., 
which,  in  this  instance,  is  extremely  inaccurate  as  to  names,  calls  the  place  of 
rendezvous  "  The  Poor  Man's  House,"  and  hints  that  the  Outlaw  was  surprised  by 
the  treachery  of  the  king: — 

"  Then  he  was  aware  of  the  King's  coming, 

With  hundreds  three  in  company. 
I  wot  the  muckle  deel    .... 

He  learned  kings  to  lie! 
For  to  fetch  me  here  frae  amang  my  men. 

Here,  like  a  dog,  for  to  die." 

I  believe  the  reader  will  think,  with  me,  that  the  catastrophe  is  better,  as  now 

Erinted  from  Mrs.  Cockbum's  copy.    The  deceit,  supposed  to  be  practised  on  the 
'utlaw,  is  imworihy  of  the  military  monarch,  as  he  is  painted  in  the  ballad; 
especially  if  we  admit  him  to  be  King  James  IV. 


470  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


66  "  Siccen  like  mercie  shall  ye  have : 

On  gallows  ye  shall  hangit  be!" 
"  Over  God  forbode,"  quoth  the  Outlaw  then, 

"I  hope  "your  grace  will  better  be! 
Else  ere  ye  come  to  Edinburgh  port, 

I  trow  thin  guarded  shall  ye  be. 

67  "  Thir  lands  of  Ettrick  Forest  fair, 

I  wan  them  from  the  enemie ; 
Like  as  I  wan  them,  sae  will  I  keep  them, 
Contrair  all  kings  in  Christentie." 

68  All  the  nobles  the  king  about, 

Said — "  Pitie  it  were  to  see  him  dee; " 
"  Yet  grant  me  mercie,  sovereign  Prince ! 
Extend  your  favour  unto  me ! 

69  "  I'll  give  thee  the  keys  of  my  castle, 

With  the  blessings  of  my  gay  ladye. 
Gin  thou'lt  make  me  sheriff  of  this  Forest, 
And  all  my  offspring  after  me." 

70  "  Wilt  thou  give  me  the  keys  of  thy  castle. 

With  the  blessing  of  thy  gay  ladye? 
I'se  make  thee  sheriff  of  Ettrick  Forest, 

Surely  while  upwards  grows  the  tree: 
If  you  be  not  traitor  to  the  king, 

Forfaulted  shalt  thou  never  be." 

71  "  But,  Prince,  what  shall  come  of  my  men? 

When  I  gae  back,  traitor  they'll  call  me. 
I  had  rather  lose  my  life  and  land. 
Ere  my  merry  men  rebuked  me." 

72  "  Will  your  merry  men  amend  their  lives  ? 

And  all  their  pardons  I  grant  thee. 

Now,  name  thy  lands  where'er  they  lie. 

And  here  I  render  them  to  thee." 

73  "  Fair  Philiphaugh  is  mine  by  right,* 

And  Lewinshope  still  mine  shall  be; 
Newark,  Foulshiells,  and  Tinnies  baith, 
My  bow  and  arrow  purchas'd  me. 

*  In  this  and  the  foUowmg  verse,  the  ceremony  of  feudal  investiture  is  supposed 
to  be  gone  through,  by  the  Outlaw  resigning  his  possessions  into  the  hands  of  the 
king,  and  receiving  them  back,  to  be  held  of  him  as  superior.  The  lands  of  Philip- 
haugh are  still  possessed  by  the  Outlaw's  representative.  Hangingshaw  and  liewins- 
hope  were  sold  of  late  years.  Newark,  Foulshiels,  and  Tinnies,  have  long  belonged 
to  the  family  of  Buccleuoh. 


JOHNNIE  OF  BEEADISLEE,  471 


74  "  And  I  have  native  steads  to  me, 

The  Newark  Lee  and  Hangingshaw: 
I  have  mony  steads  in  the  Forest  shaw, 
But  them  by  name  I  dinna  knaw." 

75  The  keys  of  the  castle  he  gave  the  king, 

With  the'blessing  of  his  fair  ladye; 
He  was  made  sheriff  of  Ettrick  Forest, 

Surely  while  upwards  grows  the  tree, 
And  if  he  was  na  traitor  to  the  king, 

Forfaulted  he  shou'd  never  be. 

76  Wha  ever  heard,  in  ony  times, 

Siccen  an  Outlaw  in  his  degree, 
Sic  favour  get  before  a  king, 
As  did  the  Outlaw  Murray  of  the  Forest  free? 


JOHNNIE  OF  BREADISLEE. 


* '  History  is  silent  with  regard  to  this  young  Nimrod.  *  He  appears,' 
says  the  editor  of  the  Border  Minstrelsy,  'to  nave  been  an  outlaw  and 
deer-stealer, — probably  one  of  the  broken  men  residing  upon  the 
border.  It  is  sometimes  said  that  this  outlaw  possessed  the  old  Castle 
of  Morton,  in  Dumfriesshire,  now  ruinous.'  Another  tradition  assigns 
Braid,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Edinburgh,  to  have  been  the  scene  of 
his  'woeful  hunting.'" — Motherwell's  ilfins^re%,  p.  17. 

Versions  of  the  ballad  have  appeared  as  under  : — 

I.  "  Johnie  of  Breadislee,"  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  iiL,  p.  114^ 
collated  from  "several  different  copies,  in  one  of  which 
the  principal  personage  is  called  'Johnie  of  Cockielaw.' 
The  stanzas  of  greatest  merit  have  been  selected  from  each 
copy." — Scott. 

II.  "  Johny  Cock,"  consisting  of  fragments  of  two  versions,  as 
given  in  Fry's  Pieces  of  Ancient  Poetry,  Bristol,  1814,  p. 
55.  • 

III.  "Johmeof  Braidisbank,"  in  Motherwell's  ilfiTwfe-efoy,  p.  17. 

IV.  "Johnie  of   Cocklesmuir,"  in  Kinloch's    Andent    Scottish 

Ballads,  p.  36. 

*  These  fragments  are  copied  from  a  4to  MS.  purchased  in  Glasgow,  "  in  the  year 
1810,"  which  MS.  appears  to  have  been  "the  text-book  of  some  illiterate  drummer." 
The  editor,  Mr.  Fry,  supposes,  with  great  probability,  that  this  is  the  ballad  of 
"Johny  Cox,"  mentioned  by  Bitson  in  these  terms: — "The  Rev.  Mr.  Boyd,  the 
ingenious  translator  of  Dante,  has  a  faint  recollection  of  a  ballad  on  some  Arm- 
strong (not  the  well-known  ballad  of  'Johny  Armstrong,'  in  Ramsay's  Evergreen); 
another,  called  'Johny  Cox;'  and  another,  'of  a  Scotch  Minstrel  who  stole  a  horse 
from  some  of  the  Henries  of  England.'  The  first  of  these  ballads  is  possibly  the 
famous  old  border  song  of  'Dick  o' the  Cow,'  quoted  by  Mr.  Pennant  (Tour,  1772, 
part  ii.,  p.  276),  and  printed  at  length  in  the  Poetical  Museum,  Hawick,  1784." 
— Bitson's  Scottish  Song,  Historical  Essay,  p.  xxxvi.,  note. 


472  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


V.  "Johnnie  of  Cocklesmuir,"  in  Scottish  Traditional  Versions 
of  Andent  Ballads  (Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  77).  This 
last  closely  resembles  Kinloch's  version ;  both  termin- 
ate hapi)ily  for  "Johnnie,"  and  both  repeat  the  last  line 
of  each  stanza,  as  a  kind  of  refrain. 

Mr.  Kinloch's  (IV.)  concludes  thus : — 

"  He  has  killed  six  o'  the  proud  foresters, 
And  wounded  the  seventh  sair; 
He  laid  his  leg  out  ower  his  steed. 
Says — '  I  will  kill  nae  m.'ilr,  mair.' " 

And  Mr.  Buchan's  (V.) : — 

"  His  mither's  parrot  1'  the  window  sat, 
She  whistled  and  she  sang; 
An'  aye  the  owertum  o'  the  note, — 
'Young  Johnnie's  biding  lang,  lang.' 

"  When  this  reachit  the  king's  ain  ears. 
It  grievd  him  wond'rous  sair; 
Says — '  I'd  rather  they'd  hurt  my  subjects  a". 
Than  Johnnie  o'  Cocklesmuir,  muir. 

" '  But  where  are  a'  my  wa'-wight  men. 
That  I  pay  meat  and  fee  ? 
We'll  gang  the  morn  to  Johnnie's  castle, 
See  how  the  cause  may  be,  be.' 

"  Then  he 's  ca'd  Johnnie  up  to  court, 
Treated  him  handsomelie ; 
An'  noo,  to  hunt  i'  the  Bride's  Braidmnir, 
For  life  he 's  licence  free,  free." 

Dr.  Chambers  has  also  given  a  collated  version,  with  some  addi- 
tional stanzas,  "taken  from  the  recitation  of  a  lady  resident  at 
Peebles,  and  from  a  manuscript  copy  submitted  to"  him  "by  Mr. 
KuAoch.."— Scottish  Ballads,  p.  183. 

Scott's  version  is  the  one  here  followed ;  one  stanza,  however,  has 
been  deleted,  and  stanzas  2  and  6,  from  Kinloch,  18  from  Motherwell, 
and  22  from  Finlay,  added.  Some  variations  are  also  noted  under  the 
text, 

1  Johnnie  rose  up  in  a  May  morning, 

Call'd  for  water  to  wash  his  hands: 
"  Gae  loose  to  me  the  gude  gray  dogs, 
That  are  bound  with  iron  bands. 

2  "  Ye'll  busk,  ye'll  busk  my  uoble  dogs, 

Ye'U  busk  and  make  them  boun', 
For  I  am  going  to  Durisdeer, 
To  ding  the  dun  deer  down." 

3  When  Johnnie's  mither  gat  word  of  that. 

Her  hands  for  dule  she  wraug : 
"  Oh,  Johnnie,  for  my  venison, 
To  the  greenwood  dinna  gang. 


JOHNNIE  OF  BREADISLEE.  473 

4  "  Enough  ye  ha'e  of  gude  wheat  bread, 

And  enough  of  the  bluid-red  wine ; 
And  therefore,  for  nae  venison,  Johnnie, 
I  pray  ye  stir  frae  hame."* 

5  But  Johnnie  busk'd  up  his  gude  bend  bow, 

His  arrows  ane  by  ane ; 
And  he  has  gane  to  Durisdeer, 
To  hunt  the  dun  deer  down. 

6  Johnnie  look'd  east,  and  Johnnie  look'd  west^ 

And  a  little  below  the  sun ; 
And  there  he  spied  a  dun  deer  sleeping 
Aneath  a  bush  of  broom. 

7  Johnnie  he  shot,  and  the  dun  deer  lap, 

And  he  wounded  her  on  the  side ; 
And  atween  the  wat^r  and  the  wood, 
His  hounds  they  laid  her  pride. 

8  And  Johnnie  has  brittled  the  deer  sae  weel, 

He 's  had  out  her  liver  and  lungs ; 
And  on  these  he  has  feasted  his  bluidy  hounds, 
As  if  they  had  been  earls'  sons. 

9  They  ate  sae  much  of  the  venison. 

And  drank  sae  much  of  the  bluid. 
That  Johnnie  and  all  his  bluidy  hounds, 
Fell  asleep,  as  they  had  been  dead. 

10  And  by  there  came  a  silly  auld  carle — 

An  ill  death  mote  he  dee  ! 
For  he 's  awa  to  Hislinton,f 
To  tell  what  he  did  see. 

11  "  What  news,  what  news,  ye  silly  auld  carle. 

What  news  ha'e  ye  to  me  ?  " 
"  Nae  news,  nae  news,"  quo'  the  silly  auld  carle, 
"  Save  what  my  een  did  see. 

•  "  •  Your  meat  shall  be  of  the  very,  very  best 
And  your  diink  of  the  finest  wine; 
And  ye  will  win  your  mither  b  benison, 
Gin  ye  wad  stay  at  hame.' 

"  His  mither's  counsel  he  wadna  tak. 

Nor  wad  he  stay  at  hame." — Kinloch's  version. 

t  "  And  he 's  aff  to  the  proud  forester's,"  &c.— Krnloch. 


474  BALLAD   JIINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


12  "  As  I  came  doun  by  Merrimass, 

And  doun  amang  the  scroggs,* 

The  bonniest  youth  that  e'er  I  saw, 

Lay  sleeping  amang  his  dogs. 

13  "  The  shirt  that  was  upon  his  back 

Was  of  the  Holland  fine ; 
And  the  doublet  which  was  over  that 
Was  of  the  Lincoln  twine. 

14  "  The  buttons  that  were  on  his  sleeves 

Were  of  the  gowd  sae  gude ; 
The  gude  greyhounds  he  lay  amang, 
Their  mouths  were  dyed  in  bluid." 

15  Then  out  and  spake  the  first  forester, 

The  head  man  ower  them  a'  : 

"  If  this  be  Johnnie  o'  Braidislee, 

Nae  nearer  him  we'll  draw." 

16  Then  out  and  spake  the  next  forester, 

(His  sister's  son  was  he) : 
"  If  this  be  Johnnie  o'  Braidislee, 
We  soon  shall  gar  him  dee !  " 

17  The  first  flight  of  arrows  the  foresters  shot, 

They  wounded  him  on  the  knee ; 
And  out  and  spake  the  seventh  forester, — 
"  The  next  will  gar  him  dee." 

18  They  waken'd  Johnnie  out  of  his  sleep, 

And  he 's  drawn  to  him  his  coat : 
"  My  fingers  five,  save  me  alive, 
And  a  stout  heart  fail  me  not."  t 

19  Johnnie  set  his  back  against  an  aik. 

His  foot  against  a  stane ; 
And  he  has  slain  the  seven  foresters. 
He  has  slain  them  all  but  ane. 

20  He  has  broke  three  ribs  in  that  ane's  side, 

But  and  his  collar-bane  ; 
.    He  's  laid  him  twa-fold  ower  his  steed. 
Bade  him  carry  the  tidings  hame.  J 

*  "  Scroggs : "  stunted  trees. 
t  "  'But  fingers  five,  come  here  [come  here], 
And  faint  heart  fail  me  nought! 
And  silver  strings,  value  me  sma'  things, 
Till  I  get  all  this  vengeance  rought  1 ' " — Johimy  Cook. 
t  "  Then  Johnnie  kill'd  six  foresters. 
And  wounded  the  seventh  sair; 
Then  drew  a  stroke  at  the  silly  auld  man, 

That  word  he  ne'er  spak  mair." — Buchan's  verBion. 


THE   LAIRD   OF  MUIRHEAD.  475 


21  "  Oh,  is  there  no  a  bonnie  bird, 

Can  sing  as  I  can  say  ? 
Can  flee  awa  to  my  mither's  bow'r, 
And  tell  to  fetch  Johnnie  away? 

22  "  [Is]  there- no  a  bird  in  all  this  Forest 

Will  do  as  meikle  for  me. 
As  dip  its  wing  in  the  wan  water, 
And  straik  it  on  my  e'e-bree?"* 

23  The  starling  flew  to  his  mither's  window, 

It  whistled  and  it  sang; 
And  aye  the  owerword  of  the  tune 
Was — "  John  tarries  lang!  " 

24  They  made  a  rod  of  the  hazel  bush, 

Another  of  the  slae-thom  tree; 
And  mony,  mony  were  the  men 
At  fetching  our  Johnnie. 

25  Then  out  and  spake  his  auld  mither, 

And  fast  her  tears  did  fa'  : 
"  Ye  wou'dna  be  warned,  my  son  Johnnie, 
Frae  the  hunting  to  bide  awa. 

26  "  Aft  ha'e  I  brocht  to  Braidislee 

The  less  gear  and  the  mair; 
But  I  ne'er  brocht  to  Braidislee 
What  grieved  my  heart  sae  sair. 

27  "  But  wae  betide  that  silly  auld  carle, 

An  ill  death  shall  he  dee ; 
For  the  highest  tree  in  Merrimass 
Shall  be  his  morning  fee." 

28  Now  Johnnie's  gude  bend-bow  is  broke, 

And  his  gude  gray  dogs  are  slain; 
And  his  body  lies  dead  in  Durisdeer, 
And  his  hunting  it  is  done. 


THE  LAIRD  OF  MUIRHEAD. 
From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  341. 

"This  ballad  is  a  fragment  from  Mr.  Herd's  MS.,  communicated 
to  him  by  J.  Grossett  Muirhead,  Esq.  of  Breadesholm,  near  Glasgow ; 

*  This  stanza,  which  describes  expressively  the  languor  of  approaching  death,  is 
derived  from  Finlay's  Scottish  Ballads,  voL  i.,  p.  xxxi. 


476  BALLAD  limSTKELSY  OF  SCOTLAND . 


who  stated  that  he  extracted  it,  as  relating  to  his  own  family,  from 
the  complete  Song,  in  which  the  names  of  twenty  or  thirty  gentlemen 
were  mentioned,  contained  in  a  large  collection,  belonging  to  Mr. 
Alexander  Monro,  merchant  of  Lisbon,  but  supposed  now  to  be  lost. 

"  It  appears,  from  the  Appendix  to  Nisbet's  Heraldry,  p.  264,  that 
Muirhead  of  Lachop  and  Bullis,  the  person  here  called  the  Laird  of 
Muirhead,  was  a  man  of  rank,  being  rentaller,  or  perhaps  feuar,  of 
many  crown-lands  in  Galloway ;  and  was,  in  truth,  slain  in  '  Campo 
Belli  de  Northumberland  sub  vexillo  Regis,'  i.  e.,  in  the  Field  of 
riodden."— Scott. 

1  Afore  the  king  in  order  stude 

The  stout  laird  of  Muirhead, 
Wi'  that  same  twa-hand  muckle  sword 
That  Bartram  felPd  stark  dead. 

2  He  sware  he  wadna  lose  his  right 

To  fight  in  ilka  field; 
Nor  budge  him  from  his  liege's  sight, 
Till  his  last  gasp  should  yield. 

3  Twa  bunder  mair  of  his  ain  name, 

Frae  Torwood  and  the  Clyde, 
Sware  they  would  never  gang  to  hame, 
But  a'  die  by  his  syde. 

4  And  wond'rous  weel  they  kept  their  troth  ; 

This  sturdy  royal  band 
Eush'd  down  the  brae,  wi'  sic  a  pith, 
That  nane  could  them  withstand. 

5  Mony  a  bloody  blow  they  dealt, 

The  like  was  never  seen ; 
And  hadna  that  braw  leader  fall'n, 
They  ne'er  had  slain  the  king. 


LAMENT  FOR  FLODDEN. 

The  following  Lament  relates  to  the  death  of  a  lover  on  the  fatal 
field  of  Flodden,  where  the  gallant  but  quixotic  James  IV.  fell,  with 
the  flower  of  the  Scotish  nobility,  A.D.  1513. 

Two  beautiful  songs,  under  the  title  of  "The  Flowers  of  the 
Forest,"  the  one  written  by  Miss  Elliot,  and  the  other  by  Mrs. 
Cockburn,  nee  Kutherford,  appear  in  the  companion  volume  of 
Scotish  Songs.  They  are  both  usually  supposed  to  have  the  battle 
of  Flodden  for  the  theme  of  their  lamentation ;  but  the  one  by  Mrs. 
Cockburn,  beginning — 

"  I've  seen  the  smiling 
Of  Fortune  beguiling," 


LAMENT  FOR  FLODDEN.  477 


is  stated  not  to  have  been  written  on  that  event.  It,  however,  chimes 
in  with  it  so  naturally,  that  it  is  no  marvel  it  should  be  supposed  to 
relate  thereto. 

Both  of  these  songs  may  be  found  together  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs, 
vol.  i.,  p.  45,  where  they  are  conjoined  under  the  title  of  "Flodden 
Field,"  along  with  a  doggrel  prelude,  beginning — 

"  From  Spey  to  the  border,  was  peace  and  good  order. 
The  sway  of  our  monarch  was  mild  as  the  May; 
Peace  he  adored,  whilk  Soudrons  abhorred. 
Our  marches  they  plunder,  our  wardens  tiiey  slay." 

Among  the  "  sueit  melodius  sangis  of  natural  music  of  the  antiquite," 
mentioned  in  The  Complaynt  of  Scotland,  as  sung  by  the  "  scheiphirdis 
and  their  vyuis,"  there  occurs,  "  My  Luf  is  laid  apon  ane  Knycht," 
which  very  nearly  coincides  with  the  first  line  of  the  following 
Lament.  It  might  very  appropriately  be  begun  and  ended  with  the 
four  beautiful  lines  of  Leyden's  "  Ode  on  visiting  Flodden,"  which  Scott 
adopted  for  the  motto  to  "  Marmion :  a  Tale  of  Flodden  Field : " — 

"  Alas !  that  Scottish  maid  should  sing 
The  combat  where  her  lover  fell! 
That  Scottish  bard  should  wake  the  string. 
The  triumph  of  our  foes  to  tell." 

— Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  iiL,  p.  345. 

1  My  love  was  laid  upon  a  knight, 

A  noble  knight  of  high  degree; 
Upon  a  knight  of  valour  bright, 
Who  also  laid  his  love  on  me. 

2  I  loved  him  for  his  manly  form, 

Majestic  port  and  noble  mien; 
His  glittering  sword,  in  war's  wild  storm, 
Was  ever  first  in  battle  keen. 

3  For  country,  king,  or  ladye  bright. 

His  blade  he  ever  boldly  drew; 
Yet,  tho'  he  was  a  warlike  knight, 
His  heart  was  gentle,  kind,  and  true. 

4  But,  ah!  on  Flodden's  fatal  plain. 

Where  Scotland's  best  and  bravest  fell, 
My  own  true  knight  lay  'mid  the  slain, 
The  gallant  knight  I  loved  so  well. 


The  memory  of  that  fatal  day 
Deep  graven  on  my  heart  shall  be, 

Till  death  shall  summon  me  away, 
To  join  again  my  love  and  me. 


478  BALLAD  MmSTRELST   OF  SCOTLAND. 


SIR  JAMES  THE  ROSE. 

"This  old  North  Country  ballad,  which  appears  to  be  founded  on 
fact,  is  well  known  in  almost  eveiy  comer  of  Scotland.  Pinkerton 
printed  it  in  his  Tragic  Ballads,  1781  (p.  61),  '  from,'  as  he  says, 
'  a  modern  edition,  in  one  sheet  12mo,  after  the  old  copy.'  Notwith- 
standing this  reference  to  authority,  the  ballad  certainly  received  a 
few  conjectural  emendations  from  his  own  pen ;  at  least,  the  version 
which  is  given,"  by  Mr.  Motherwell,  "as  it  occurs  in  early  stall 
prints,  and  as  it  is  to  be  obtained  from  the  recitations  of  elderly 
people,  does  not  exactly  correspond  with  his. 

"  Two  modem  ballads  have  sprung  out  of  this  old  one — viz.,  '  Sir 
James  the  Ross,'  and  '  Elfrida  and  Sir  James  of  Perth.'  The  first  of 
these  is  said  to  have  been  written  by  Michael  Bruce ;  the  latter  is  an 
anonymous  production,"  which  seems  to  have  first  appeared  in  Caw's 
Museum,  1784,  and  to  have  subsequently  "found  its  way  into  Evan's 
Collection,  vide  vol.  iv.,  edit.  1810.  It  might  be  curious  to  ascertain 
which  of  these  mournfiil  ditties  is  the  senior,  were  it  for  nothing  else 
than  perfectly  to  enjoy  the  cool  impudence  with  which  the  graceless 
youngster  has  appropriated  to  itself,  without  thanks  or  acknow- 
ledgment, all  the  best  things  which  occur  in  the  other."  * — Mother- 
weU's  Minstrelsy,  p.  321. 

Motherwell's  version  does  not  differ  materially  from  Pinkerton's. 

In  the  "  Battle  of  Harlaw  :  Traditionary  Version,"  ante,  p.  450,  a 
"James  the  Rose,"  and  a  "John  the  Graeme,"  both  figure  as 
combatants  on  the  side  of  the  royal  forces  ;  but  we  can  scarcely 
suppose  the  cowardly  "James  the  Rose,"  or  the  heroic  "John  the 
Graeme,"  of  that  ballad,  to  be  the  parties  here  celebrated.  The  ballad 
is  placed  here  because  stanza  43  of  the  modem  version  refers  to  the 
principal  actors  as  having  fought  at  Flodden.  This,  in  the  absence 
of  better  data,  must  therefore  serve  as  our  guide  as  to  the  period 
when  the  tragedy  occurred. 

In  a  note  to  "  Sir  James  the  Rose,"  Mr.  Pinkerton  states  that  "  a 
renovation  of  this  ballad,  composed  of  new  and  improbable  circum- 
stances, decked  out  with  scraps  of  tragedies,  may  be  found  in  the 
Annual  Register  for  1774,  and  other  collections. 

"  Rose  is  an  ancient  and  honourable  name  in  Scotland.  Johnnes 
de  Rose  is  a  witness  to  the  famous  Charter  of  Robert  II.  testifying 
his  marriage  with  Elizabeth  More,  as  appears  in  the  rare  edition  of 
it  printed  at  Paris,  1695,  4to,  p.  15." — Scottish  Tragic  Ballads, 
p.  114. 

The  modernized  ballad  of  "The  Buchanshire  Tragedy;  or.  Sir 
James  the  Ross,"  as  referred  to  by  Motherwell  and  Pinkerton, 
was  written  by  Michael  Bruce,  and  appears  "in  the  Weekly 
Magazine,  or  Edinburgh  Amusement,  vol.  ix.,  Sept.  20,  1770, 
p.  371. 

*  The  version  by  Michael  Brace  is  apparently  the  earliest,  and  it  is  certainly  by 
far  the  moat  popular. 


SIR  JAMES  THE   ROSE.  479 

"  Prefixed  was  the  following  short  note : — 

'  To  the  Publisher  of  the  Weekly  Magazine. 
'Sir, — Some  days  ago  I  met  with  an  old  Scottish  ballad,  of  which  the  following  is 
a  copy;  which,  I  dare  say,  you  will  be  willing  to  preserve  from  oblivion  by  giving  it 
a  place  in  your  entertaining  Amicseinent.  There  are  few  of  your  readers,  I  am  per- 
suaded, but  will  be  pleased  to  see  at  once  such  a  specimen  of  ancient  Scottish  poetry 
and  valour.' "  * 

The  ballad  was  probably  communicated,  and  the  note  written,  by 
Logan,  who,  in  this  same  year,  issued  a  volume  of  Poems  on  several 
Occasions,  by  Michael  Bruce,  which  volume  contained  the  ballad 
referred  to,  with  several  additions,  deletions,  and  other  alterations, 
doubtless  by  Logan  himself. 

The  ancient  ballad,  as  collated  from  Pinkerton's  and  Motherwell's 
versions,  is  here  first  given ;  the  orthography  of  the  latter  being 
generally  adopted.  It  is  followed  by  the  modem  version,  as  written 
by  Michael  Bruce;  while  an  additional  stanza  and  some  variations 
from  Logan's  edition  of  1770  are  noted  under  the  text. 

The  version  by  Bruce  seems  to  have  superseded  the  ancient  one  as  a 
chap  book ;  and  it  may  be  mentioned  that  one  of  these,  bearing  the 
imprint,  "Glasgow,  printed  by  J.  and  M.  Robertson,  (No.  20)  Salt- 
market,  1809,'  is  professedly  "printed  from  the  original  manu- 
script ; "  and  that  it  agrees  very  closely  with  Brace's  text  as  here 
given. 

1  Oh,  heard  ye  of  Sir  James  the  Kose, 

The  young  heir  of  Baleighan  ? 
For  he  has  kill'd  a  gallant  squire, 
Whose  friends  are  out  to  take  him. 

2  Now  he  has  gone  to  the  house  of  Mar, 

Where  none  might  seek  to  find  him ; 
To  seek  his  dear  he  did  repair, 
Thinking  she  wou'd  befriend  him. 

3  "  Where  are  ye  going,  Sir  James  ?  "  she  said, 

"  Or  where  now  are  you  riding?  " 
"  Oh,  I  am  bound  to  a  foreign  land, 
For  now  I'm  under  hiding. 

4  "  Where  shall  I  go,  where  shall  I  run, 

Where  shall  I  go  to  lay  me? 
For  I  ha'e  kill'd  a  gallant  squire, 
And  his  friends  seek  to  slay  me." 

5  "  Oh,  go  ye  down  to  yon  ale-house, 

And  I'll  pay  there  your  lawing ; 
And  as  I  am  your  leman  true, 
I'll  meet  ye  at  the  dawing." 

*  The  Works  of  Michael  Bruce,  edited,  with  Memoir  and  Notes,  by  the  Eev. 
Alexander  B.  Grosart.    Edinburgh,  1865. 

The  infamous  conduct  of  Logan,  who  afterwards  claimed  many  of  the  best  pieces 
as  his  own,  is  fully  diacu-sseJ  and  ably  exposed  by  Mr.  Grosart. 


480  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OP  SCOTLAND. 


6  "  I'll  no  gae  down  to  yon  ale-house, 

For  you  to  pay  my  lawing, 
But  I'll  lie  down  upon  the  bent, 
And  bide  there  till  the  dawing." 

7  He 's  turn'd  him  right  and  round  about, 

And  row'd  him  in  his  brechan,* 
And  he  has  gone  to  take  a  sleep 
In  the  lawlands  of  Baleighan. 

8  He  wasna  well  gone  out  of  sight, 

Nor  was  he  past  Millstrethen, 
When  four-and-twenty  belted  knights 
Came  riding  o'er  the  Lethan. 

9  "  Oh,  ha'e  ye  seen  Sir  James  the  Eose, 

The  young  heir  of  Baleighan? 

For  he  has  kill'd  a  gallant  squire. 

And  we  are  sent  to  take  him." 

10  "  Yea,  I  ha'e  seen  Sir  James,"  she  said, 

"  He  pass'd  by  here  on  Monday ; 
If  the  steed  be  swift  that  he  rides  on. 
He  's  past  the  heights  of  Lundie." 

11  But  as  with  speed  they  rode  away, 

She  loudly  cried  behind  them, 

"  If  ye'll  give  me  a  worthy  meid,  f 

I'll  tell  ye  where  to  find  him." 

12  "Oh,  tell,  fair  maid,  and,  by  our  faith, 

Ye'se  get  his  purse  and  brechan." 
"  Seek  ye  the  bank  aboon  the  mill. 
In  the  lawlands  of  Baleighan." 

13  They  sought  the  bank  aboon  the  mill. 

In  the  lawlands  of  Baleighan, 
And  there  they  found  Sir  James  the  Rose, 
Was  lying  in  his  brechan. 

14  Then  up  and  spake  Sir  John  the  Graeme, 

Who  had  the  charge  in  keeping  : 
"  It  shall  ne'er  be  said,  brave  gentlemen. 
We  kill'd  him  when  a-sleeping." 

15  They  seized  his  broads\yord  and  his  targe. 

And  closely  him  surrounded; 
And  when  he  waked  out  of  his  sleep. 
His  senses  were  confounded. 

•  **  Brechan : "  plaid.  f  "  Meid : "  reward. 


THE  BUCHAXSHIRE  TRAGEDY;   OR,  SIR  JAMES  THE  ROSS.      481 


16  "  Rise  up,  rise  up,  Sir  James,"  he  said, 

"  Rise  up,  since  now  we've  found  ye ; 
We've  ta'en  the  broadsword  frae  your  side, 
And  angry  men  are  round  ye," 

17  "Oh,  pardon,  pardon,  gentlemen, 

Ha'e  mercy  now  upon  me  !  " 
"  Such  as  you  ga'e,  such  shall  you  ha'e, 
And  so  we  fall  upon  thee." 

18  Syne  they've  ta'en  out  his  Weeding  heart, 

And  stuck  it  on  a  spear; 
Then  took  it  to  the  house  of  Mar, 
And  show'd  it  to  his  dear. 

19  "  We  cou'dna  give  Sir  James's  pursOj 

We  cou'dna  give  his  brechan ; 
But  ye  shall  ha'e  his  bleeding  heart, 
But  and  his  bleeding  tartan." 

20  "  Sir  James  the  Rose,  oh,  for  thy  sake 

My  heart  is  now  a-breaking  I 
Curs'd  be  the  day  I  wrought  thy  wae, 
Thou  brave  heir  of  Baleighan ! " 

21  Then  up  she  raise,  and  forth  she  gaes, 

And,  in  that  hour  of  tein. 
She  wandered  to  the  dowie  glen, 
And  never  mair  was  seen. 


THE  BUCHANSHIRE  TRAGEDY ;  OR,  SIR  JAMES 
THE  ROSS. 

BV  MICHAEL  BRUCE,   BORN,  1746;   DIED,    1767. 

1  Of  all  the  Scottish  northern  chiefs. 

Of  high  and  warlike  name. 
The  bravest  was  Sir  James  the  Ross, 
A  knight  of  meikle  fame. 

2  His  growth  was  as  the  tufted  fir. 

That  crowns  the  mountain's  brow ;  * 

*  Bruce's  poem,  "The  Complaint  of  Natare,"  has  a  similar  line, — 
"Or  trees,  that  crown  the  mountain's  brow." 
And  in  the  eighth  of  the  "  Scriptural  Translations  and  Paraphrases,"  as  used  in 
the  Presbyterian  Churches  of  Scotland,  vrhich  "paraphrase"  is  based  on  Bruce's 
"Complaint,"  &c.,  there  occiu-s  the  same  line  in  stanza  6. 

We  note  these  coincidences,  as  they  are  somewhat  curious,  and  form  ''a  threefold 
cord  "  of  connection  with  Bruce. 

2i 


482  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


And,  waving  o'er  his  shoulders  broad, 
His  locks  of  yellow  flew.* 

3  The  chieftain  of  the  brave  clan  Ross, 

A  firm  undaunted  band  ; 
Five  hundred  warriors  drew  their  swords, 
Beneath  his  high  command. 

4  In  bloody  fight  thrice  had  he  stood, 

Against  the  English  keen, 
Ere  two-and-twenty  opening  springs 
This  blooming  youth  had  seen. 

5  The  fair  Matilda  dear  he  loved, 

A  maid  of  beauty  rare  ; 
Ev'n  Margaret,  on  the  Scottish  throne, 
Was  never  half  so  fair. 

6  Lang  had  he  wooed,  lang  she  refused, 

With  seeming  scorn  and  pride ; 
Yet  aft  her  eyes  confess'd  the  love 
Her  fearful  words  denied. 

7  At  last  she  bless'd  his  well-tried  faith, 

AUow'd  his  tender  claim ; 
She  vow'd  to  him  her  virgin  heart. 
And  own'd  an  equal  flame. 

8  Her  father,  Buchan's  cruel  lord, 

Their  passion  disapproved ; 
And  bade  her  wed  Sir  John  the  Graeme, 
And  leave  the  youth  she  loved. 

9  Ae  night  they  met,  as  they  were  wont, 

Deep  in  a  shady  wood, 
Where,  on  a  bank  beside  a  burn, 
A  blooming  saughf  tree  stood. 

10    Conceal'd  among  the  underwood. 
The  crafty  Donald  lay, 
The  brother  of  Sir  John  the  Graeme, 
To  hear  what  they  would  say. 

•  This  stanza  follows  in  Bmce's  Poems,  Logan's  edition  of  1770  :— 

"  Wide  were  his  fields,  his  herds  were  large, 
And  large  his  flocks  of  sheep ; 
And  numerous  were  his  goats  and  deer 
Upon  the  mountain's  steep." 

t  "  Saugh:  "  a  willow. 


THE  BUCHANSHIRE  TRAGEDY;   OB,  SIB  JAMES  THE   ROSS.      483 


11  When  thus  the  maid  began, — "  My  sire 

Your  passion  disapproves, 
And  bids  me  wed  Sir  John  the  Graeme ; 
So  here  must  end  our  loves. 

12  "  My  father's  will  must  be  obey'd ; 

Naught  boots  me  to  withstand ; 

Some  fairer  maid,  in  beauty's  bloom, 

Must  bless  thee  with  her  hand. 

13  "  Matilda  ^oon  shall  be  forgot. 

And  from  thy  mind  effaced: 
But  may  that  happiness  be  thine, 
Which  I  can  never  taste." 

14  "  What  do  I  hear  ?  is  this  thy  vow  ?» 

Sir  James  the  Eoss  replied : 
"  And  will  Matilda  wed  the  Graeme, 
Though  sworn  to  be  my  bride? 

15  "  His  sword  shall  sooner  pierce  my  heart. 

Than  reive  me  of  thy  charms ;" 
Then  clasp'd  her  to  his  beating  breast, 
Fast  lock'd  into  his  arms. 

16  "  I  spake  to  try  thy  love,"  she  said ; 

"  I'll  ne'er  wed  man  but  thee  : 
My  grave  shall  be  my  bridal  bed, 
Ere  Graeme  my  husband  be. 

17  "  Take  then,  dear  youth,  this  faithful  kiss, 

In  witness  of  my  troth ; 
And  every  plague  become  my  lot, 
That  day  I  break  my  oath  ! " 

18  They  parted  thus  ;  the  sun  was  set; 

Up  hasty  Donald  flies ; 
And — "  Turn  thee,  turn  thee,  beardless  youth!" 
He  loud  insulting  cries. 

19  Soon  tum'd  about  the  fearless  chief. 

And  soon  his  sword  he  drew ; 
For  Donald's  blade,  before  his  breast, 
Had  pierced  his  tartans  through. 

20  "  This  for  my  brother's  slighted  love ; 

His  wrongs  sit  on  my  arm  :" 
Three  paces  back  the  youth  retired. 
And  saved  himself  frae  harm. 


484  BALLAD  MmSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


21  Eeturning  swift,  his  hand  he  rear'd, 

Fierce  Donald's  head  above, 
And  through  the  brain  and  crashing  bones 
His  sharp-edged  weapon  drove. 

22  He  staggering  reel'd,  then  tumbled  down, 

A  lump  of  breathless  clay : 
"  So  fall  my  foes ! "  quoth  valiant  Ross, 
And  stately  strode  away. 

23  Through  the  green  wood  he  quickly  hied, 

Unto  Lord  Buchan's  hall ; 
And  at  Matilda's  window  stood, 
And  thus  began  to  call : 

24  "Art  thou  asleep,  Matilda,  dear? 

Awake,  my  love,  awake  ! 
Thy  luckless  lover  on  thee  calls, 
A  long  farewell  to  take. 

25  "  For  I  have  slain  fierce  Donald  Graeme ; 

His  blood  is  on  my  sword  : 
And  distant  are  my  faithful  men, 
Nor  can  assist  their  lord. 

26  "  To  Skye  I'll  now  direct  my  way, 

Where  my  two  brothers  bide. 
And  raise  the  valiant  of  the  Isles, 
To  combat  on  my  side." 

27  "  Oh,  do  not  so,"  the  maid  replied ; 

"  With  me  till  morning  stay ; 
For  dark  and  dreary  is  the  night, 
And  dangerous  the  way. 

28  "  All  night  I'll  watch  you  in  the  park ; 

My  faithful  page  I'll  send. 
To  run  and  raise  the  brave  clan  Ross, 
Their  master  to  defend." 

29  Beneath  a  bush  he  laid  him  down, 

And  wrapp'd  him  in  his  plaid  ; 
While,  trembling  for  her  lover's  fate, 
At  distance  stood  the  maid. 

30  Swift  ran  the  page  o'er  hiU  and  dale, 

Till,  in  a  lonely  glen. 
He  met  the  furious  Sir  John  Graeme, 
With  twenty  of  his  men. 


THE  EUCHANSHIRE  TRAGEDY;  OR,  SIR  JAMES  THE  ROSS.      485 


31  "Where  go'st  thou,  little  page?"  he  said; 

"  So  late,  who  did  thee  send  ?" 
"  I  go  to  raise  the  brave  clan  Ross, 
Their  master  to  defend. 

32  "  For  he.hath  slain  fierce  Donald  Graeme, 

Whose  blood  now  dims  his  sword : 
And  far,  far  distant  are  his  men, 
That  should  assist  their  lord." 

33  "  And  has  he  slain  my  brother  dear?" 

The  furious  Graeme  replies  : 
"  Dishonour  blast  my  name,  but  he 
By  me,  ere  morning,  dies ! 

34  "  Tell  me,  where  is  Sir  James  the  Ross? 

I  will  thee  well  reward ;" 
"  He  sleeps  into  Lord  Buchan's  park  ; 
Matilda  is  his  guard." 

35  They  spurr'd  their  steeds  in  furious  mood, 

Then  scour'd  along  the  lee;* 
And  reach'd  Lord  Buchan's  lofty  tow'rs, 
By  dawning  of  the  day. 

36  Matilda  stood  without  the  gate, 

To  whom  the  Graeme  did  say,")" — 
"  Saw  ye  Sir  James  the  Ross  last  night? 
Or  did  he  pass  this  way  ?  " 

37  "  Last  day,  at  noon,"  Matilda  said, 

"  Sir  James  the  Ross  pass'd  by : 
He  furious  prick'd  his  sweaty  steed, 
And  onward  fast  did  hie. 

38  "  By  this  he  is  at  Edinburgh, 

If  horse  and  man  hold  good." 
'*  Your  page,  then,  lied,  who  said  he  was 
Now  sleeping  in  the  wood." 

•  "  They  spurr'd  their  steeds,  and  furious  flew. 

Like  lightning,  o'er  the  lea." — Bruce's  Poems,  Logan's  edition. 

t  "  Matilda  stood  without  the  gate, 
Upon  a  rising  ground. 
And  watch'd  each  object  in  the  dawn. 
All  ear  to  every  sound. 

"  '  Where  sleeps  the  Ross  ? '  began  the  Graeme, 
'Or  has  the  felon  fled? 
This  hand  shall  lay  the  wretch  on  earth. 
By  whom  my  brother  bled.' " — Ibid. 

Stanzas  37,  38,  S9,  and  also  stanza  43,  are  omitted  by  Logan. 


486  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


39  She  wrung  her  hands,  and  tore  her  hair : 

"  Brave  Ross,  thou  art  betrayed ; 
And  ruin'd  by  those  very  means. 
From  whence  I  hoped  thine  aid!" 

40  By  this  the  valiant  knight  awoke, 

The  virgin's  shrieks  he  heard ; 

And  up  he  rose  and  drew  his  sword, 

When  the  fierce  band  appeared. 

41  "  Your  sword  last  night  my  brother  slew ; 

His  blood  yet  dims  its  shine  ; 
And,  ere  the  setting  of  the  sun. 
Your  blood  shall  reek  on  mine." 

42  "  You  word  it  well,"  the  chief  replied ; 

"  But  deeds  approve  the  man  : 
Set  by  your  band,  and,  hand  to  hand, 
We'll  try  what  valour  can. 

43  "  Oft  boasting  hides  a  coward's  heart ; 

My  weighty  sword  you  fear. 
Which  shone  in  front  of  Flodden-field, 
When  you  kept  in  the  rear." 

44  With  dauntless  step  he  forward  strode, 

And  dared  him  to  the  fight ; 
But  Graeme  gave  back,  and  fear'd  his  arm; 
For  well  he  knew  its  might. 

45  Four  of  his  men,  the  bravest  four, 

Sunk  down  beneath  his  sword; 
But  still  he  scorn'd  the  poor  revenge. 
And  sought  their  haughty  lord. 

46  Behind  him  basely  came  the  Graeme, 

And  pierced  him  in  the  side ; 
Out  spouting  came  the  purple  tide. 
And  all  his  tartans  dyed. 

47  But  yet  his  sword  quat  not  the  grip. 

Nor  dropp'd  he  to  the  ground,* 
Till  thro'  his  enemy's  heart  his  steel 
Had  forced  a  mortal  wound. 

48  Graeme,  like  a  tree  with  wind  o'erthrown, 

Fell  breathless  on  the  clay; 
And  down  beside  him  sank  the  Ross, 
And  faint  and  dying  lay. 

"  But  yet  his  hand  not  dropp'd  the  aword, 

Nor  sunk  he  to  the  ground." — Bruce  a  Poems,  Logan's  edition. 


JOHNNIE  ARMSTEANG.  487 


49  The  sad  Matilda  saw  him  fall : 

"  Oh,  spare  his  life  !  "  she  cried ; 
"  Lord  Buchan's  daughter  begs  his  life, 
Let  her  not  be  deny'd." 

50  Her  well-known  voice  the  hero  heard; 

He  rais'd  his  death-closed  eyes. 
And  fix'd  them  on  the  weeping  maid, 
And  weakly  thus  replies : 

51  "  In  vain  Matilda  begs  the  life, 

By  death's  arrest  deny'd : 
My  race  is  run — adieu,  my  love  I " — 
Then  clos'd  his  eyes  and  died. 

52  The  sword,  yet  warm,  from  his  left  side 

With  frantic  hand  she  drew : 
"  I  come.  Sir  James  the  Ross,"  she  cried ; 
"I  come  to  follow  you!" 

53  She  lean'd  the  hilt  against  the  ground, 

And  bared  her  snowy  breast ; 
Then  fell  upon  her  lover's  face. 
And  sunk  to  endless  rest. 


JOHNNIE  ARMSTRANG. 


From  Ramsay's  Evergreen,  vol.  ii.,  p.  190. 

"Ramsay  mentions  that  this  is  the  true  old  ballad  of  the  famous 
John  Armstrong  of  Gilnock-hall,  in  Liddisdale,  and  which  he  copied 
from  a  gentleman's  mouth  of  the  name  of  Armstrong,  who  was  the 
sixth  generation  from  this  John,  and  who  told  him  that  it  was  ever 
esteemed  the  genuine  ballad,  the  common  one  false. 

"The  common  ballad,  alluded  to  by  Ramsay,  is  the  one,  however, 
which  is  in  the  mouths  of  the  people.  His  set  I  never  heard  simg  or 
recited  ;  but  the  other  frequently.  The  common  set  is  printed  in 
Wit  Restored,  London,  1658  [p.  123],  under  the  title  of  '  A  Northern 
Ballet,'  and  in  the  London  Collection  of  Old  Ballads,  1723  [vol.  i.,  p. 
170],  as  '  Johney  Armstrong's  Last  Good-night.'  That  Collection  has 
another  ballad  on  the  subject  of  Armstrong,  entitled  '  Armstrong 
and  Musgrave's  Contention.' 

"  In  J.  Stevenson's  Catalogue,  Edinburgh,  1827,  is  a  copy  on  a 
broadside,  with  this  title,  'John  Armstrong's  Last  Farewell,'  declaring 
how  he  and  eight-score  men  fought  a  bloody  battle  at  Edinburgh ;  to 
the  tune  of  'Fare  thou  well,  bonny  Gilt  Knock  Hall,' — an  edition 
still  adhered  to  in  the  stall  copies  of  the  ballad.  The  version  of  the 
ballad,  as  given  in  the  Evergreen,  is  followed  by  the  editor  of  the 


488  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Border  Minstrelsy,  in  whose  valuable  compilation  it  finds  a  place,  with 
suitable  illustrations." — Motherwell's  Min8trelsy,lntvoA.VLcMoT\^  p.  Ixii., 
note  3. 

From  the  "illustrations"  referred  to  by  Mr.  Motherwell,  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  this  celebrated  outlaw  is  extracted : — 

"  Johnnie  Armstrong,  of  Gilnockie,  the  hero  of  the  following  ballad, 
is  a  noted  personage,  both  in  history  and  tradition.  He  was,  it  would 
seem  from  the  ballad,  a  brother  of  the  Laird  of  Mangertoim,  chief  of 
the  name.  His  place  of  residence  (now  a  roofless  tower)  was  at  the 
Hollows,  a  few  miles  from  Langholm,  where  its  ruins  still  serve  to 
adorn  a  scene  which,  in  natural  beauty,  has  few  equals  in  Scotland. 
At  the  head  of  a  desperate  band  of  freebooters,  this  Armstrong  is 
said  to  have  spread  the  terror  of  his  name  almost  as  far  as  Newcastle, 
and  to  have  levied  black-mail,  or  protection  and  forbearance  money, 
for  many  miles  round.  James  V.,  of  whom  it  was  long  remembered 
by  his  grateful  people  that  he  made  the  'rush-bush  keep  the  cow,' 
about  1529,  undertook  an  expedition  through  the  Border  counties,  to 
suppress  the  turbulent  spirit  of  the  Marchmen.  But  before  setting 
out  upon  his  journey,  he  took  the  precaution  of  imprisoning  the 
different  Border  chieftains,  who  were  the  chief  protectors  of  the 
marauders.  The  Earl  of  Both  well  was  forfeited,  and  confined  in  Edin- 
burgh castle.  The  lords  of  Home  and  Maxwell,  the  lairds  of  Buc- 
cleuch,  Fairniherst,  and  Johnston,  with  many  others,  were  also  com- 
mitted to  ward.  Cockburn  of  Henderland,  and  Adam  Scott  of 
Tushielaw,  called  the  King  of  the  Border,  were  publicly  executed. — 
Lesley,  p.  430.  The  king  then  marched  rapidly  forward,  at  the  head 
of  a  flying  army  of  ten  thousand  men,  through  Ettrick  Forest  and 
Ewsdale.  The  evil  genius  of  our  Johnnie  Armstrong,  or,  as  others  say, 
the  private  advice  of  some  courtiers,  prompted  him  to  present  himself 
before  James,  at  the  head  of  thirty-six  horse,  arrayed  in  all  the  pomp 
of  Border  chivalry.  Pitscottie  uses  nearly  the  words  of  the  ballad, 
in  describing  the  splendour  of  his  equipment,  and  his  high  expecta- 
tions of  favour  from  the  king.  '  But  James,  looking  upon  him 
sternly,  said  to  his  attendants,  "  What  wants  that  knave  that  a  king 
should  have?"  and  ordered  him  and  his  followers  to  instant  execu- 
tion.'— 'But  John  Armstrong,'  continues  this  minute  historian,  'made 
great  offers  to  the  king.  That  he  should  sustain  himself,  with  forty 
gentlemen,  ever  ready  at  his  ser\nce,  on  their  own  cost,  without 
wronging  any  Scottishinan  :  secondly,  that  there  was  not  a  subject  in 
England,  duke,  earl,  or  baron,  but,  within  a  certain  day,  he  should 
bring  him  to  his  majestic,  either  quick  or  dead.*    At  length,  he, 

*  The  Borderers,  from  their  habits  of  life,  were  capable  of  most  extraordinary 
exploits  of  this  nature.  In  the  year  1511,  Sir  Robert  Ker  of  Cessford,  Warden  of  the 
Middle  Marches  of  Scotland,  was  murdered  at  a  Border  meeting,  by  the  IJastard 
Heron,  Starhead,  and  Lilburn.  The  English  monarch  delivered  up  Lilburn  to 
justice  in  Scotland,  but  Heron  and  Starhead  escaped.  The  latter  chose  his  resi- 
dence in  the  very  centre  of  England,  to  baffle  the  vengeance  of  Ker's  clan  and 
followers.  Two  dependants  of  the  deceased,  called  Tait,  were  deputed  by  Andrew 
Ker  of  Cessford  to  revenge  his  father's  murder.  They  travelled  through  England 
in  various  disguises,  till  they  discovered  the  place  of  Starhead's  retreat,  murdered 
him  in  his  bed,  and  brought  his  head  in  triumph  to  Edinburgh,  where  Ker  caused 
it  to  be  exposed  at  the  Cross.  The  Bastard  Heron  would  have  shared  the  same 
fate,  had  he  not  spread  abroad  a  report  of  his  having  died  of  the  plague,  and  caused 
bis  funeral  obsequies  to  be  performed. — Ridpath's  History,  p.  481.  See  also  Metrical 
Account  of  the  Bailie  of  Flodden,  published  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Lamtie. 


JOHNNIE  ARMSTRANG.  489 


seeing  no  hope  of  favour,  said  very  proudly,  "  It  is  folly  to  seek  grace 
at  a  graceless  face  ;  but,"  said  he,  "had  I  known  this,  I  should  have 
lived  upon  the  Borders  in  despite  of  King  Harry  and  you  both  ;  for  I 
know  King  Harry  would  downweigh  my  best  horse  with  gold  to  know 
that  I  were  condemned  to  die  this  day."' — Pitscottie's  History,  p.  145. 
Johnnie  and  all  his  retinue  were  accordingly  hanged  upon  growing 
trees,  at  a  place  calfed  Carlenrig  Chapel,  about  ten  miles  above 
Hawick,  on  the  high  road  to  Langholm.  The  country  people  believe, 
that,  to  manifest  the  injustice  of  the  execution,  the  trees  withered 
away.  Armstrong  and  his  followers  were  buried  in  a  deserted  church- 
yard, where  their  graves  are  still  shown. 

"As  this  Border  hero  was  a  person  of  great  note  in  his  way,  he 
is  frequently  alluded  to  by  the  writers  of  the  time.  Sir  David 
Lindsay  of  the  Mount,  in  the  curious  play  published  by  Mr.  Pinker- 
ton,  from  the  Bannatyne  MS.,  introduces  a  pardoner,  or  knavish 
dealer  in  relics,  who  produces,  among  his  holy  rarities — 

'  The  cordis,  baith  grit  and  lang, 

Quhilk  hangit  Johnie  Armstrang, 

Of  gude  hempt,  soft  and  sound. 
Gnde  haly  pepil,  I  stand  ford, 
Wha'evir  beis  hangid  in  this  cord, 

Neidis  never  to  be  drowned! ' 

— Pinkerton's  Scottish  Poems,  vol.  ii.,  p.  69. 

"In  The  Complaynt  o/"  jSco<towcZ,  John  Armistrangis'  Dance,  men- 
tioned as  a  popular  tune,  has  probably  some  reference  to  our  hero. 

"  The  common  people  of  the  high  parts  of  Teviotdale,  Liddesdale, 
and  the  country  adjacent,  hold  the  memory  of  Johnnie  Armstrong  in 
very  high  respect.  They  affirm,  also,  that  one  of  his  attendants 
broke  through  the  king's  guard,  and  carried  to  Gilnockie  tower  the 
news  of  the  loloody  catastrophe. 

"  It  is  fortunate  for  the  admirers  of  the  old  ballad  that  it  did  not 
fall  into  Eamsay's  hands  when  he  was  equipping  with  new  sets  of 
words  the  old  Scottish  tunes  in  his  Tea-Table  Miscellany.  Since 
his  time  it  has  been  often  reprinted."* — Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  i., 
p.  392. 

[The  ballad  which  follows,  resembles,  in  many  respects,  "The  Sang 
of  the  Outlaw  Murray,"  ante,  p.  459.  The  conduct  of  the  respective 
kings  towards,  and  the  fate  of,  the  two  Outlaws,  are,  however,  very 
different.] 

1  Some  speak  of  lords,  some  speak  of  lairds, 

And  sic  like  men  of  high  degree; 
Of  a  gentleman  I  sing  a  sang, 

Some  time  call'd  Laird  of  Gilnockie. 

2  The  king  he  writes  a  loving  letter, 

With  his  ain  hand  sae  tenderlie, 
And  he  hath  sent  it  to  Johnnie  Armstrang, 
To  come  and  speak  with  him  speedilie. 

*  [Tliis  remark  will  probably  recall  to  the  mind  of  its  reader  the  well-known  adage 
about  the  pot  calling  the  kettle  black.] 


490  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


3  The  Elliots  and  Armstrangs  did  convene, 

They  were  a  gallant  companie  : 
"  We'll  ride  and  meet  our  lawful  king, 
And  bring  him  safe  to  Gilnockie. 

4  "  Make  kinnen  *  and  capon  ready,  then, 

And  venison  in  great  plentie; 
We'll  welcome  here  our  royal  king; 
I  hope  he'll  dine  at  Gilnockie ! " 

5  They  ran  their  horse  on  the  Langholm  howm. 

And  brake  their  spears  with  meikle  main ; 
The  ladies  lookit  frae  their  loft  windows — 
"  God  bring  our  men  weel  hame  again ! " 

6  When  Johnnie  came  before  the  king, 

With  all  his  men  sae  brave  to  see, 
The  king  he  moved  his  bonnet  to  him ; 
He  ween'd  he  was  a  king  as  well  as  ho. 

7  "  May  I  find  grace,  my  sovereign  liege, 

Grace  for  my  loyal  men  and  me? 
For  my  name  it  is  Johnnie  Armstrang, 
And  a  subject  of  yours,  my  liege,"  said  he. 

8  "Away,  away,  thou  traitor  Strang! 

Out  of  my  sight  soon  may'st  thou  be! 
I  granted  never  a  traitor's  life, 
And  now  I'll  not  begin  with  thee." 

9  "  Grant  me  my  life,  my  liege,  my  king ! 

And  a  bonnie  gift  I'll  gi'e  to  thee ; 
Full  four-and-twenty  milk-white  steeds, 
Were  all  foal'd  in  ae  year  to  me. 

10  "  I'll  gi'e  thee  all  these  milk-white  steeds, 

That  prance  and  nicherf  at  a  spear; 
And  as  meikle  gude  Inglish  gilt,J 

As  four  of  their  braid  backs  dow  §  bear." 

11  "Away,  away,  thou  traitor  Strang! 

Out  of  my  sight  soon  may'st  thou  be  I 
I  granted  never  a  traitor's  life. 

And  now  I'll  not  begin  with  thee," 

*"  Kinnen:"  rabbits.  t  'Gilt:"  gold. 

t  "Nicher: "  neigh.  {  " Dow: "  are  able  ta 


JOHNNIE  AEMSTRANG.  491 


12  "  Grant  me  my  life,  my  liege,  my  king! 

And  a  bonnie  gift  I'll  gi'e  to  thee  : 

Gude  four-and-twenty  ganging  *  mills. 

That  gang  thro'  all  the  year  to  me. 

13  "These  four-and-twenty  mills  complete, 

Shall  gang  for  thee  thro'  all  the  year; 
And  as  meikle  of  gude  red  wheat, 
As  all  their  happers  dow  to  bear." 

14  "  Away,  away,  thou  traitor  Strang ! 

Out  of  my  sight  soon  may'st  thou  be  I 
I  granted  never  a  traitor's  life, 
And  now  I'll  not  begin  with  thee." 

15  "  Grant  me  my  life,  my  liege,  my  king! 

And  a  great  great  gift  I'll  gi'e  to  thee : 
Bauld  four-and-twenty  sisters'  sons 
Shall  for  thee  fecht,  tho'  all  shou'd  flee." 

16  "Away,  away,  thou  traitor  Strang! 

Out  of  my  sight  soon  may'st  thou  be ! 
I  granted  never  a  traitor's  life, 
And  now  I'll  not  begin  with  thee." 

17  "  Grant  me  my  life,  my  liege,  my  king! 

And  a  brave  gift  I'll  gi'e  to  thee : 
All  between  here  and  Newcastle  town 
Shall  pay  their  yearly  rent  to  thee." 

18  "Away,  away,  thou  traitor  Strang! 

Out  of  my  sight  soon  may'st  thou  be  I 
I  granted  never  a  traitor's  life, 

And  now  I'll  not  begin  with  thee." 

19  "  Ye  lied,  ye  lied,  now,  king,"  he  says, 

"  Altho'  a  king  and  prince  ye  be ! 
For  I've  loved  naething  in  my  life, 
I  weel  dare  say  it,  but  honestie. 

20  "  Save  a  fat  horse,  and  a  fair  woman, 

Twa  bonnie  dogs  to  kill  a  deer ; 
But  England  shou'd  have  found  me  meal  and  mault, 
Gif  I  had  lived  this  hundred  year. 

21  "  She  shou'd  have  found  me  meal  and  mault, 

And  beef  and  mutton  in  all  plentie; 

But  never  a  Scots  wife  cou'd  have  said, 

That  e'er  I  skaith'd  her  a  puir  flee. 

*  "Gangicg:  '  going. 


492  BALLAD  MIXSTRSLSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


22  "  To  seek  het  water  beneath  cauld  ice, 

Surely  it  is  a  great  foUie  : 
T  liave  ask'd  grace  at  a  graceless  face,* 
But  there  is  nane  for  my  men  and  me. 

23  "  But  had  I  kenn'd,  ere  I  came  frae  hame, 

How  unkind  thou  wou'dst  been  to  me, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  keepit  the  Border  side, 
In  spite  of  all  thy  force  and  thee. 

24  "  Wist  England's  king  that  I  was  ta'en, 

Oh,  gin  a  blythe  man  he  wou'd  be ! 
For  ance  I  slew  his  sister's  son, 

And  on  his  breast-bane  brak  a  tree." 

25  John  wore  a  girdle  about  his  middle, 

Embroider'd  o'er  with  burning  gold. 
Bespangled  with  the  same  metal, 
Maist  beautiful  was  to  behold. 

26  There  hang  nine  targats  f  at  Johnnie's  hat, 

And  ilk  ane  worth  three  hundred  pound: 
"  "What  wants  that  knave  that  a  king  shou'd  have, 
But  the  sword  of  honour  and  the  crown  ? 

27  "  Oh,  where  got  thee  these  targats,  Johnnie, 

That  blink  sae  brawly  t  aboon  thy  brie  ?  " 
"  I  gat  them  in  the  field  fechting,  § 
Where,  cruel  king,  thou  durst  not  be. 

28  "  Had  I  my  horse  and  harness  gude. 

And  riding  as  I  wont  to  be, 
It  shou'd  have  been  tauld  this  hundred  year. 
The  meeting  of  my  king  and  me ! 

29  "  God  be  with  thee,  Kirsty,||  my  brother, 

Lang  live  thou  laird  of  Mangertoun  ! 
Lang  may'st  thou  live  on  the  Border  side, 
Ere  thou  see  thy  brother  ride  up  and  down ! 

30  "  And  God  be  with  thee,  Kirsty,  my  son, 

Where  thou  sits  on  thy  nurse's  knee ! 
But  an  thou  live  this  hundred  year, 
Thy  father's  better  thou'lt  never  be. 

•  See  "  Young  Waters,"  stanza  23,  and  note,  ante,  p.  458. 

t  "  Targats : "  tassels. 

t  "  Blink  sae  brawly: "  glance  so  bravely. 

§  ■'  Fechting: "  fighting. 

y  "Kirety:"  Christopher. 


THE  LAMENT  OF  THE  BORDER  WIDOW.  493 


31  "  Farewell,  my  bonnie  Gilnock  hall, 

Where  on  Esk  side  thou  standest  stout! 
Gif  I  had  lived  but  seven  years  mair, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  gilt  thee  round  about." 

32  John  murder'd  was  at  Carlinrigg, 

And  all  his  gallant  companie ; 
But  Scotland's  heart  was  ne'er  sae  wae, 
To  see  sae  mony  brave  men  die ; 

33  Because  they  saved  their  country  dear 

Frae  Englishmen !    Nane  were  sae  banld ; 
While  Johnnie  lived  on  the  Border  side, 
Nane  of  them  durst  come  near  his  bauld. 


THE  LAMENT  OF  THE  BOEDER  Wn)OW. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  94 

"  This  fragment,  obtained  from  recitation  in  the  Forest  of  Ettrick, 
is  said  to  relate  to  the  execution  of  Cockburne  of  Henderland,  a 
Border  freebooter,  hanged  over  the  gate  of  his  own  tower,  by  James 
v.,  in  the  course  of  that  memorable  expedition,  in  1529,  which  was 
fatal  to  Johnnie  Armstrang,  Adam  Scott  of  Tushielaw,  and  many 
other  marauders.  The  vestiges  of  the  castle  of  Henderland  are  still 
to  be  traced  upon  the  farm  of  that  name,  belonging  to  Mr.  Murray  of 
Henderland.  They  are  situated  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  Meggat, 
which  falls  into  the  lake  of  St.  Mary,  in  Selkirkshire.  The  adjacent 
country,  which  now  hardly  bears  a  single  tree,  is  celebrated  by 
Lesley,  as,  in  his  time,  affording  shelter  to  the  largest  stags  in  Scot- 
land. A  mountain  torrent,  called  Henderland  Burn,  rushes  impetu- 
ously from  the  hills,  through  a  rocky  chasm,  named  the  Dowglen, 
and  passes  near  the  site  of  the  tower.  To  the  recesses  of  this  glen, 
the  -wife  of  Cockburne  is  said  to  have  retreated,  during  the  execution 
of  her  husband ;  and  a  place,  called  the  Lady's  Seat,  is  still  shown, 
where  she  is  said  to  have  striven  to  drown,  amid  the  roar  of  a  foam- 
ing cataract,  the  tumultuous  noise  which  annoimced  the  close  of  his 
existence.  In  a  deserted  burial-place,  which  once  surrounded  the 
chapel  of  the  castle,  the  monument  of  Cockburne  and  his  lady  are 
still  shown.  It  is  a  large  stone,  broken  in  three  parts ;  but  some 
armorial  bearings  may  yet  be  traced,  and  the  following  inscription  is 
still  legible,  though  defaced : — 

Here  lyes  Perts  of  Cokbttrne  and  his 
Wyfe  Marjory. 

"  Tradition  says  that  Cockburne  was  surprised  by  the  king  while 
sitting  at  dinner.  After  the  execution,  James  marched  rapidly 
forward  to  surprise  Adam  Scott  of  Tushielaw,  called  the  King  of  the 
Border,  and  sometimes  the  King  of  Thieves.     A  path  through  the 


494  BALLAD  MmSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


mountains,  which  separates  the  Vale  of  Ettrick  from  the  head  of 
Yarrow,  is  still  called  the  King's  Road,  and  seems  to  have  been  the 
route  which  he  followed.  The  remains  of  the  tower  of  Tushielaw 
are  yet  visible,  overhanging  the  wild  banks  of  the  Ettrick ;  and  are 
an  object  of  terror  to  the  benighted  peasant,  from  an  idea  of  their 
being  haunted  by  spectres.  From  these  heights,  and  through  the 
adjacent  county  of  Peebles,  passes  a  wild  path,  called  still  the 
Thief's  Road,  from  having  been  used  chiefly  by  the  marauders  of  the 
Border."— Scott. 

Mr.  Motherwell  says : — "I  am  passing  loath  to  deprive  Scotland  of 
the  least  remnant  of  her  song ;  but  this  appears  to  me  to  be  nothing 
else  than  a  fragment  of  the  English  ballad,  entitled,  'The  Famous 
Flower  of  Serving-men ;  or,  The  Lady  turn'd  Serving -man. " — 
Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixxxi.,  note  80. 

A  slightly  varied  version  occurs  in  Chambers's  Scottish  Songs,  vol. 
i.,  p.  174. 

There  is  also  a  Highland  lament,  entitled,  "  Oh  ono  Chrio,"  which 
appears  in  Johnson's  Museum,  vol.  i.,  p.  90,  wherein  three  or  four 
Unes  of  this  ballad  occur;  and  Bums  mentions  that  "Dr.  Blacklock 
informed "  him  ' '  that  this  [latter]  song  was  composed  on  the  in- 
famous massacre  of  Glencoe. "  * 

1  Mt  love  he  built  me  a  bonnie  bow'r, 
And  clad  it  all  with  lilie  flow'r; 

A  brawer  bow'r  ye  ne'er  did  see, 
Than  my  true  love  he  built  for  me. 

2  There  came  a  man,  by  middle  day, 
He  spy'd  his  sport  and  went  away ; 
And  brought  the  king  that  very  night, 
Who  brake  my  bow'r  and  slew  my  knight. 

3  He  slew  my  knight,  to  me  sae  dear; 

He  slew  my  knight,  and  poin'df  his  gear; 
My  servants  all  for  life  did  flee, 
And  left  me  in  extremitie. 

4  I  sew'd  his  sheet,  making  my  mane; 
I  watch'd  the  corpse,  myself  alane; 

I  watch'd  his  body  night  and  day; 
No  living  creature  came  that  way. 

5  I  took  his  body  on  my  back, 

And  whiles  I  gaed  and  whiles  I  sat ; 

I  digg'd  a  grave,  and  laid  him  in, 

And  happ'd  J  him  with  the  sod  sae  green. 

•  Cromek'B  Reliques. 

t  "Poin'd: "  poinded— attached  by  legal  distress. 

t  "Happ'd:"  covered. 


HUGHIE  THE  GILEME.  495 


But  think  na  ye  my  heart  was  sair, 
When  I  laid  the  moul'  on  his  yellow  hair? 
Oh,  think  na  ye  my  heart  was  wae, 
When  I  tum'd  about  away  to  gae  ? 

Nae  living 'man  I'll  love  again, 
Since  that  my  lovely  knight  is  slain; 
With  ae  lock  of  his  yellow  hair 
I'll  chain  my  heart  for  evermair. 


HUGHIE  THE  GR^ME. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii. ,  p.  107. 

"  The  Graemes  were  a  powerful  and  numerous  clan,  who  chiefly 
inhabited  the  Debateable  Land.  They  were  said  to  be  of  Scottish 
extraction ;  and  their  chief  claimed  his  descent  from  Malice,  Earl  of 
Stratheme.  In  military  service  they  were  more  attached  to  England 
than  to  Scotland ;  but  in  their  depredations  on  both  countries,  they 
appear  to  have  been  very  impartial ;  for  in  the  year  1600,  the  gentle- 
men of  Cumberland  alleged  to  Lord  Scroope,  '  that  the  Graemes,  and 
their  clans,  with  their  children,  tenants,  and  servants,  were  the 
chiefest  actors  in  the  spoil  and  decay  of  ths  coimtiy. '  Accordingly, 
they  were,  at  that  time,  obUged  to  give  a  bond  of  surety  for  each 
other's  peaceable  demeanour ;  from  which  bond  their  numbers  appear 
to  have  exceeded  four  hundred  men. — See  Introduction  to  Nicolson's 
History  of  Cumberland,  p.  cviii. 

"  Richard  Graeme,  of  the  family  of  Netherby,  was  one  of  the 
attendants  upon  Charles  I.  when  Prince  of  Wales,  and  accom- 
panied him  upon  his  romantic  journey  through  France  and  Spain. 
The  following  little  anecdote,  which  then  occurred,  will  show  that 
the  memory  of  the  Graemes'  Border  exploits  was  at  that  time  still 
preserved: — 

"  'They  were  now  entered  into  the  deep  time  of  Lent,  and  could 
get  no  flesh  in  their  inns.  Whereupon  fell  out  a  pleasant  passage,  if 
I  may  insert  it,  by  the  way,  among  more  serious.  There  was,  near 
Bayoime,  a  herd  of  goats,  with  their  young  ones ;  upon  the  sight 
whereof,  Sir  Richard  Graham  tells  the  Marquis  (of  Buckingham),  that 
he  would  snap  one  of  the  kids,  and  make  some  shift  to  carry  him  snug 
to  their  lodging.  Which  the  prince  overhearing,  "Why,  Richard, 
says  he,  "  do  you  think  you  may  practise  here  your  old  tricks  upon  the 
Borders  ?  "  Upon  which  words,  they,  in  the  first  place,  gave  the 
goat-herd  good  contentment :  and  then,  while  the  Marquis  and 
Richard,  being  both  on  foot,  were  chasing  the  kid  about  the  stack, 
the  prince,  from  horseback,  killed  him  in  the  head  with  a  Scottish 
pistol.  Which  circumstance,  though  trifling,  may  yet  serve  to  show 
how  his  Royal  Highness,  even  in  such  slight  and  sportful  damage,  had 
a  noble  sense  of  just  dealing.' — Sir  H.  Wotton's  Life  of  the  Duke  of 
Buchingham. 


498  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


"I  find  no  traces  of  this  particular  Hughie  Graeme  of  the  ballad; 
but,  from  the  mention  of  the  bishop,  I  suspect  he  may  have  been  one 
of  about  four  hundred  Borderers,  against  whom  bills  of  complaint 
were  exhibited  to  Robert  Aldridge,  lord  bishop  of  Carlisle,  about 
1553,  for  divers  incursions,  burnings,  murders,  mutilations,  and 
spoils  by  them  committed. — Nicolson  s  History,  Introduction,  Ixxxi. 
There  appear  a  number  of  Grsemes  in  the  specimen  which  we  have  of 
that  list  of  delinquents.     There  occur,  in  particular, 

Kitchie  Grame  of  Bailie, 

Will's  Jock  Grame, 

Fargue's  Willie  Grame, 

Muckle  Willie  Grame, 

Will  Grame  of  Rosetrees, 

Ritchie  Grame,  younger  of  Netherby, 

Wat  Grame,  called  Flaughtail, 

Will  Grame,  Nimble  WilHe, 

WiU  Grame,  Mickle  WiUie, 

with  many  others. 

"In  Mr.  Ritson's  curious  and  valuable  collection  of  legendary 
poetry,  entitled.  Ancient  Songs,  he  has  published  this  Border  ditty, 
from  a  collection  of  two  old  black -letter  copies,  one  in  the  collection 
of  the  late  John,  Duke  of  Roxburghe,  and  another  in  the  hands  of 
John  Bayne,  Esq.  The  learned  editor  mentions  another  copy,  be- 
ginning, 'Good  Lord  John  is  a-hunting  gone.'  The  present  edition 
was  procured  for  me  by  my  friend  Mr.  WilUam  Laidlaw,  in  Black- 
house,  and  has  been  long  current  in  Selkirkshire;  but  Mr.  Rit- 
son's copy  has  occasionally  been  resorted  to  for  better  readings." 
—Scott. 

The  version  referred  to  above,  as  appearing  in  Ritson's  Ancient 
Songs  (edit.  1790),  p.  192,  is  entitled,  "The  Life  and  Death  of  Sir 
Hugh  of  the  Grime."  It  first  appeared  in  Durfey's  Pills  to  Purge 
Melancholy,  vol.  iv.,  p.  289. 

The  first  Scotish  version  was  communicated  to  Johnson's  Museum 
(p.  312),  by  Bums,  who  states  that  he  obtained  it  from  oral  tradition 
in  Ayrshire.  Mr.  Cromek  alleges  that  stanzas  3  and  8  were  entirely 
composed,  and  that  9  and  10  were  retouched,  by  Burns. 

The  Museum  version  was  followed  by  Scott's ;  while  a  still 
subsequent  Scotish  version  may  be  found  in  Scottish  Traditional 
Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  p.  73,  under 
the  title  of  "  Sir  Hugh  the  Graeme."  A  note  to  this  version  (p.  106) 
truly  states,  "  that  it  differs  materially  from  all  others,  .  .  .  and 
particularly  in  one  respect,  viz.,  that  it  has  not  a  tragical  ending,  the 
hero  making  his  escape,"  after  his  extraordinary  leap.  There  seems 
to  be  no  good  ground  for  the  allegations  against  the  bishop  and  the 
wife  of  Hughie  Graeme.  It  is,  however,  quaintly  and  sarcastically 
stated  by  Anthony  a  Wood,  that  "  there  were  many  changes  in  his 
time,  both  in  Church  and  State,  but  the  worthy  prelate  retained  his 
cflBces  and  preferments  duiHng  them  all. "  So  that  he  seems  to  have 
been  a  worthy  exemplai-  of  the  notorious  "  Vicar  of  Bray." 


HUGHIE  THE  GR^ME.  497 


According  to  the  last-named  version,  the  captor  and  judge  of  Sir 
Hugh  is  Lord  Home.     The  concluding  stanzas  are  as  under :  — 

" '  Ye'll  gi'e  my  brother  John  the  swordo 
That's  pointed  wi'  the  metal  clear. 
An'  bid  hmi  come  at  eight  o'clock. 
An'  see  me  pay  the  bishop's  meare. 

" '  An',  brother  James,  tak'  here  the  sworde 
That's  pointed  wi'  the  metal  broun, 
Come  up  the  morn  at  eight  o'clock, 
An'  see  your  brother  putten  down. 

"'An',  brother  Allan,  tak'  this  sworde 
That 's  pointed  wi'  the  metal  fine, 
Come  up  the  morn  at  eight  o'clock. 
An'  see  the  death  o'  Hugh  the  Grseme.* 

" '  Ye'll  tell  this  news  to  Maggy,  my  wife, 

Neist  time  ye  gang  to  Strievling  toun;  < 

She  is  the  cause  I  lose  my  life. 
She  wi'  the  bishop  play'd  the  loon.' 

"Again  he  ower  his  shoulder look'd. 
It  was  to  see  what  he  could  see, 
And  there  he  saw  his  little  son. 
Was  screamin'  by  his  nourice  knee. 

"  Then  out  it  spak'  the  little  son: 

*  Sin'  'tis  the  mom  that  he  maun  dee, 
If  that  I  live  to  be  a  man. 
My  father's  death  reveng'd  shall  be.' 

" '  If  I  must  dee,'  Sir  Hugh  replied, 

'My  friends  o'  me  they  will  think  lack; ' 
He  leapt  a  wa'  eighteen  feet  high, 
Wi'  his  ban's  boun'  behin'  his  back. 

■•Lord  Home  then  raised  ten  armed  men. 
An'  after  him  they  did  pursue; 
But  he  has  trudg'd  out  ower  the  plain, 
As  fast  as  any  bird  that  flew. 

"He  leuk'd  ower  his  left  shoulder, 
It  was  to  see  what  he  could  see; 
His  brother  John  was  at  his  back. 
An'  a'  the  rest  o'  his  brothers  three. 

"Some  they  woundit  and  some  they  slew, 
They  fought  sae  fierce  and  valiantlie; 
They  made  his  enemies  for  to  yield. 
An'  sent  Sir  Hugh  out  ower  the  sea." 

The  text  which  follows  is  derived  from  Scott's  Minstrelvj,  as  above 
indicated.  Stanza  13  is  inserted  in  the  text  from  Burns's  version ; 
the  other  principal  variations  being  noted  under. 

The  nationality  of  the  ballad  is  apparently  as  "debateable"  as 
that  of  the  "land"  occupied  in  those  days  by  this  predatory  tribe. 
Scott's  version  is,  on  the  whole,  decidedly  the  best. 

1     GUDE  Lord  Scroope  's  to  the  hunting  gane, 
He  has  ridden  o'er  moss  and  muir;"|" 
And  he  has  grippit  Hughie  the  Grgeme, 
For  stealing  of  the  bishop's  mare. 


k 


*  The  two  first  of  these  quoted  stanzas  are  nearly  the  same  as  two  in  Bnms's 
version,  while  the  third  resembles  the  last  stanza  of  the  text 
t  "  A-hunting  o'  the  fallow  deer."— Burns's  version. 

2k 


498  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2     "  Now,  good  Lord  Scroope,  this  may  not  be ! 
Here  hangs  a  broadsword  by  my  side ; 
And  if  that  thou  canst  conquer  me, 
The  matter  it  may  soon  be  try'd." 

8     "I  ne'er  was  afraid  of  a  traitor  thief; 

Although  thy  name  be  Hughie  the  Grjeme, 
I'll  make  thee  repent  thee  of  thy  deeds. 
If  God  but  grant  me  life  and  time." 

4  "  Then  do  your  worst  now,  good  Lord  Scroope, 

And  deal  your  blows  as  hard  as  you  can ! 
It  shall  be  tried  within  an  hour, 

Which  of  us  two  is  the  better  man." 

5  But  as  they  were  dealing  their  blows  sae  free, 

And  both  sae  bloody  at  the  time. 
Over  the  moss  came  ten  yeomen  so  tall, 
All  for  to  take  brave  Hughie  the  Grgeme. 

6  Then  they  ha'e  grippit  Hughie  the  Grasme, 

And  brought  him  up  through  Carlisle  town : 
The  lasses  and  lads  stood  on  the  walls, 
Crying — "Hughie  the  Graeme,  thou'se  ne'er  gae  down  !"* 

7  Then  they  ha'e  chosen  a  jury  of  men. 

The  best  that  were  in  Carlisle  town ; 
And  twelve  of  them  cried  out  at  once, — 

"  Hughie  the  Grseme,  thou  must  gae  down  I " 

8  Then  up  bespake  him  gude  Lord  Hume,  f 

As  he  sat  by  the  judge's  J  knee : 
"  Twenty  white  owsen,  my  gude  lord. 
If  you'll  grant  Hughie  the  Graeme  to  me."§ 

9  "  Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  gude  Lord  Hume ! 

For  sooth  and  sae  it  maunna  be ; 
For  were  there  but  three  Graemes  of  the  name,  || 
They  shou'd  be  hanged  all  for  me." 

•  "  And  they  ha'e  tied  him  hand  and  foot, 
And  led  him  up  thro'  Stirling  town; 
The  lads  and  lasses  met  him  there, 
Cried— Hughie  Graham,  thou  art  a  loan! ' 

" '  Oh,  lowse  my  right  hand  free,'  he  says, 
'  And  put  my  hraid  sword  in  the  same, 
He's  no  in  Stirling  town  this  day 
Daur  tell  the  tale  to  Hughie  Graham.' "— Bums's  version. 

Cromek  states  that  the  last  of  these  two  stanzas  is  Bums's  own  composition, 
t  "Then  up  bespake  the  brave  Whitefoord."— /6f(i. 
t  'Judge's:  "  "bishop's." — Ibid. 
§  "  If  ye'U  let  Hughie  Graeme  gae  free."— Ibid. 
1  "  For  the'  ten  Grahams  were  in  his  coat"— /6»d. 


HUGHIE  THE   GRAEME.  499 


10  'Twas  up  and  spake  the  gude  Lady  Hume,* 

As  she  sat  by  the  judge's  knee  : 
"A  peck  of  white  pennies,  my  gude  lord  judge, 
If  you'll  grant  Hughie  the  Graeme  to  me." 

11  "  Oh  no,  oh  DO,  my  gude  Lady  Hume ! 

For  sooth  and  so  it  must  na  be ; 
Were  he  but  the  one  Graeme  of  the  name, 
He  shou'd  be  hangM  high  for  me." 

12  "  If  I  be  guilty,"  said  Hughie  the  Graeme, 

"  Of  me  my  friends  shall  have  small  talk ; " 
And  he  has  loup'd  fifteen  feet  and  three, 
Tho'  his  hands  were  tied  behind  his  back. 

13  They've  ta'en  him  to  the  gallows  knowe ; 

He  look'd  [up]  at  the  gallows  tree, 
Yet  never  colour  left  his  cheek. 
Nor  ever  did  he  blin'  his  e'e.  f 

14  [But]  he  look'd  over  his  left  shoulder, 

And  for  to  see  what  he  might  see; 
There  was  he  aware  of  his  auld  father, 
Came  tearing  his  hair  most  piteouslie. 

15  "  Oh,  hald  your  tongue,  my  father,"  he  says, 

"  And  see  that  ye  dinna  weep  for  me ! 
For  they  may  ravish  me  of  my  life. 
But  they  cannot  banish  me  frae  Heaven  hie.  J 

16  "  Fair  ye  weel,  fair  Maggie,  my  wife ! 

The  last  time  we  came  ower  the  muir, 
'Twas  thou  bereft  me  of  my  life, 
And  with  the  Bishop  thou  play'd  the  whore. 

17  "  Here,  Johnnie  Armstrang,  take  thou  my  sword, 

That  is  made  of  the  metal  sae  fine; 
And  when  thou  comest  to  the  English  side, 
Remember  the  death  of  Hughie  the  Graeme." 

•  "Up  then  bespoke  the  fair  'Whitefoord."— Boms's  version. 

t  Oromek  states  that  this  stanza  is  Boms's  own  composition. 

X  "  'Oh,  haud  your  tongue,  my  father  dear, 
And  with  your  weeping  let  me  be : 
Thy  weeping 's  sairer  on  my  heart, 
Than  a'  that  they  can  do  to  me.'  "—Ibid. 

Cromek  states  that  this  stanza  was  re-touched  by  Bums. 


500  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OP  SCOTLAND. 


THE  LOCHMABEN  HARPER. 

"  The  Castle  of  Lochmaben  was  formerly  a  noble  building,  situated 
upon  a  peninsula,  projecting  into  one  of  the  four  lakes  wficb  are  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  royal  burgh,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the 
residence  of  Robert  Bruce,  while  Lord  of  Annandale.  Accordingly 
it  was  always  held  to  be  a  royal  fortress,  the  keeping  of  which, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  times,  was  granted  to  some  powerful 
lord,  with  an  allotment  of  lands  and  fishings,  for  the  defence  and 
maintenance  of  the  place.  There  is  extant  a  grant,  dated  16th 
March,  1511,  to  Robert  Lauder  of  the  Bass,  of  the  office  of  Captain 
and  Keeper  of  Lochmaben  Castle,  for  seven  years,  with  many  per- 
quisites. Among  others,  the  'lands  stolen  frae  the  King'  are 
bestowed  on  the  Captain,  as  his  proper  lands.  What  shall  we  say 
of  a  country,  where  the  very  ground  was  a  subject  of  theft?" — Scott. 

The  following  ballad  is  first  referred  to  in  a  note  to  Ritson's  Scottish 
Song,  vol.  i.,  quoted  ante,  p.  471,  note  (*). 

It  was  first  published  by  Scott  in  his  Minstrelsy  (edit.  1802,  as 
stated  in  the  last  edition,  vol.  i.,  p.  422). 

Another  version  had  been,  however,  previously  communicated  by 
Burns  to  Johnson,  and  appears  in  his  Musical  Museum,  vol.  vi.,  p.  598 
(1803). 

A  third  version,  under  the  title  of  "The  Jolly  Harper,"  appeared 
subsequently  in  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads 
(Percy  Society),  p.  37.  In  this  last,  the  purloining  of  the  "  wanton 
brown  "  is  represented  to  be  the  result  of  a  wager ;  and  on  its  being 
duly  won  by  the  Harper,  the  "wanton  brown"  is  returned  to  its 
rightful  owner. 

As  to  the  age  of  the  ballad,  or  the  period  to  which  it  refers,  it  is 
not  only  impossible  to  say  which  of  the  Henrys  is  the  one  referred 
to,  but  even  whether  it  occurred  under  the  reign  of  one  of  the  English 
kings  of  that  name  at  all. 

The  return  of  the  "wanton  brown"  at  any  period  prior  to  the 
union  of  the  crowns  is  utterly  improbable,  wager  or  no  wager. 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  a  note,  remarks,  "  that  it  is  the  most  modern 
(ballad)  in  which  the  harp,  as  a  Border  instrument  of  music,  is  found 
to  occur;"  but  he  does  not  state  on  what  data  he  founds  any  opinion 
as  to  its  age. 

His  and  Bums's  versions  differ  very  slightly ;  but  the  former  has 
two  stanzas  (19  and  23)  not  in  the  latter ;  while  it  has  four  stanzas 
(3,  4,  5,  and  18)  not  in  the  other. 

In  the  former,  also,  the  scene  of  the  theft  is  laid  at  Carlisle,  while 
the  Lord  Warden  takes  the  place  of  King  Henry. 

Burns's  text  is  the  one  chiefly  followed ;  but  a  few  emendations 
have  been  adopted,  and  the  two  stanzas  above  referred  to  added  from 
Scott's. 

The  reader  may  contrast  the  luck  of  the  "  Harper  "  with  the  fate 
of  "  Hughie  Graeme,"  in  the  preceding  ballad. 


h 


THE  LOCHMABEN  HARPER.  501 


1  Oh,  heard  ye  of  a  silly  Harper, 

[Wha]  lang  lived  in  Lochmaben  town, 
How  he  did  gang  to  fair  England, 
To  steal  King  Henry's  wanton  brown? 

2  But  first  he  gaed  to  his  gudewife. 

With  all  the  haste  that  he  cou'd  thole;  * 
"  This  wark,"  quo'  he,  "  will  ne'er  gae  weel, 
Without  a  mare  that  has  a  foal." 

8    Quo'  she — "  Thou  has  a  gude  gray  mare. 
That'll  rin  o'er  hills  baith  low  and  hie ; 
Gae  set  thee  on  the  gray  mare's  back. 
And  leave  the  foal  at  hame  with  me. 

4  "  And  take  a  halter  in  thy  hose, 

And  of  thy  purpose  dinna  fail; 
But  wap  it  o'er  the  wanton's  nose, 
And  tie  him  to  the  gray  mare's  tail. 

5  "  Syne  ca'  f  her  out  at  the  back  yett. 

O'er  moss,  and  muir,  and  ilka  dale; 
For  she'll  ne'er  let  the  wanton  bite, 
Till  she  come  back  to  her  ain  foal." 

6  So  he  is  up  to  England  gane, 

Even  as  fast  as  he  can  hie, 
Till  he  came  to  King  Henry's  yett ; 
Oh,  wha  was  there  but  King  Henriel 

7  "  Come  in,"  quo'  he,  "  thou  silly  Harper, 

And  of  thy  harping  let  me  hear." 
"  Oh,  by  my  sooth,"  quo'  the  silly  Harper, 
"  I'd  rather  ha'e  stabling  for  my  mare." 

8  The  king  looks  o'er  his  left  shoulder, 

And  says  unto  his  stable  groom, 
"  Gae  take  the  silly  blind  Harper's  mare. 
And  tie  her  beside  my  wanton  brown." 

9  And  aye  he  harpit,  and  aye  he  carpit, 

Till  all  the  Lordlings  footed  the  floor; 
And  oh,  the  music  was  sae  sweet. 
That  they  forgat  the  stable  door ! 

10    And  aye  he  harpit,  and  aye  he  carpit. 
Till  all  the  nobles  were  fast  asleep; 
Then  quickly  he  took  aff  his  shoon. 
And  saftly  down  the  stair  did  creep. 

•  "  Thole:  "  suffer.  f  "Ca:  "  drive  or  turn. 


502  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 

11  Syne  to  the  stable  door  he  hied, 

With  tread  as  light  as  light  cou'd  be ; 
And  when  he  open'd  and  gaed  in, 
There  he  fand  thirty  steeds  and  three. 

12  He  took  a  cowt  halter  *  frae  his  hose, 

And  of  his  purpose  he  didna  fail ; 
He  slipp'd  it  o'er  the  wanton's  nose, 
And  tied  it  to  his  gray  mare's  tail. 

13  He  ca'd  her  out  at  the  back  yett,  f 

O'er  moss,  and  muir,  and  ilka  dale; 
And  she  ne'er  let  the  wanton  bite, 
But  held  him  trotting  at  her  tail. 

14  The  gray  mare  was  richt  swift  of  foot, 

And  didna  fail  to  find  the  way ; 
For  she  was  at  Lochmaben  yett 
Full  lang  three  hours  ere  it  was  day. 

15  When  she  came  to  the  Harper's  door, 

There  she  ga'e  mony  a  nicher  and  sneer;  J 
"  Kise,"  quo'  the  wife,  "  thou  lazy  lass, 
Let  in  thy  master  and  his  mare." 

16  Then  up  she  rose,  put  on  her  clothes, 

And  lookit  through  at  the  lock-hole : 
"  Oh,  by  my  sooth,"  then  quoth  the  lass, 
"  Our  mare  has  gotten  a  braw  brown  foal ! " 

17  "  Come,  baud  thy  tongue,  thou  foolish  lass, 

The  moon's  but  glancing  in  your  e'e; " 
"  I'll  wad  my  haill  fee  §  against  a  groat. 
It 's  bigger  than  e'er  our  foal  will  be." 

18  The  neighbours  too,  that  heard  the  noise, 

Cried  to  the  wife  to  put  her  in. 
"  By  my  sooth,"  then  quoth  the  wife, 
"  He's  better  than  ever  he  rade  on." 

19  Now  all  this  while,  in  merry  Carlisle, 

The  Harper  harpit  to  hie  and  law ; 
And  nought  cou'd  they  do  but  listen  him  to. 
Until  that  the  day  began  to  daw. 

*  "  Cowt  halter: "  colt's  halter. 

t  Variation:—^''  He  tum'd  them  loose  at  the  castle  gate." — Scott's  version. 

X  "Nicher  and  sneer:  "  neigh  and  snort 

§  "  Wad  my  haUl  fee :  "  bet  my  whole  wage& 


THE   BATTLE   OF  CORICHIE.  503 


20  But  on  the  mom,  at  fair  daylight, 

When  they  had  ended  all  their  cheer, 
Behold  the  wanton  brown  was  gane, 
And  eke  the  poor  blind  Harper's  mare  I 

21  "  Alace,  alace! "  quo'  the  cunning  auld  Harper, 

"  And  ever  alace,  that  I  came  here ! 
In  Scotland  I  lost  a  braw  cowt  foal ; 

In  England  they've  stolen  my  gude  gray  mare ! " 

22  "  Come,  cease  thy  alacing,  thou  silly  Harper, 

And  again  of  thy  harping  let  us  hear ; 
And  weel  paid  shall  thy  cowt  foal  be, 
And  thou  shall  get  a  better  mare." 

23  Then  aye  he  harpit,  and  aye  he  carpit; 

Sae  sweet  were  the  harping  he  let  them  hear; 
He  was  paid  for  the  foal  he  had  never  lost, 
And  three  times  o'er  for  the  gude  gray  mare. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  COKICHIE. 


The  battle,  or  skirmish,  which  the  foltewing  ballad  commemorates, 
was  fought  on  the  28th  of  October,  1562.  It  seems  to  have  been 
brought  about  by  the  ambitious  designs  of  George,  fourth  Earl  of 
Huntly,  who  intrigued  to  obtain  the  hand  of  the  beautiful  but  un- 
fortunate Queen  Mary  for  his  third  son,  Sir  John  Gordon  of  Find- 
later;  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  obtain  for  himself  the  reins  of 
power,  to  the  discomfiture  and  overthrow  of  his  hated  rival,  the 
"Lord  James,"  half-brother  to  the  Queen,  who,  by  her,  had  been 
recently  created  Earl  of  Moray,  or  Murray,  a  title  previously  be- 
stowed on,  but  afterwards  withdrawn  by,  her  mother,  the  Queen 
Eegent,  from  this  same  Earl  of  Huntly.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  action,  Murray's  vanguard,  which  consisted  of  Forbeses,  Leslies, 
and  other  northern  men  favourable  to  Huntly,  retreated  in  con- 
fusion ;  but  the  main  body,  consisting  chiefly  of  cavalry,  led  by  the 
Earl  of  Morton  and  Lord  Lindsay,  with  levelled  spears,  bore  back 
both  dubious  friends  and  open  foes. 

Huntly  himself,  with  his  third  son.  Sir  John,  already  named,  and 
his  sixth  son.  Sir  Adam  of  Auchindoun,  were  taken  prisoners;  but 
the  Earl,  being  corpulent,  was  smothered  in  the  crowd,  as  stated  by 
Buchanan  ;  the  partizans  of  the  Gordons,  however,  allege  that  he 
was  murdered  by  the  express  orders  of  Murray.  But  why  Murray 
should  sanction  the  private  murder  of  a  man  whose  life  was  forfeited 
by  treason,  they  do  not  explain.  "Sir  John  was  publicly  beheaded 
five  days  after  at  Aberdeen,  when  his  winning  aspect  and  valorous 
deportment  on  the  scaffold  drew  tears  from  the  spectators."  Sir 
Adam,  who  was  spared  on  account  of  his  youth,  gives  name  to  the 


504  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


subsequent  ballad,  entitled,  "Adam,"  or,  as  it  is  usually  spelled, 
"Edom  o'  Gordon."  The  scene  of  the  encounter  is  about  fourteen 
miles  west  of  the  town  of  Aberdeen. 

The  earliest  known  copy  appeared  in  the  Scots  Weekly  Magazine 
for  July,  1772,  with  this  intimation: — "  We  have  been  favoured  with 
the  following  copy  of  an  old  Scots  ballad,  by  a  gentleman  of  taste  and 
literature,  which  we  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  seen  in  print,  and 
therefore  have  given  it  a  place,  for  the  sake  of  preservation.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  wrote  by  one  Forbes,  schoolmaster  at  Maryculter, 
upon  Deeside," 

The  Forbes  here  referred  to  is  named  John  by  Professor  Aytoun ; 
but  this  is  probably  an  error.  Mr.  Maidment  supposes  that  "  Robert, 
and  not  John,  was  the  author  or  preserver  of  this  ballad ; "  but  in  his 
next  sentence  he  confounds  this  Eobert,  author  of  *'  Ajax'  Speech  to 
the  Grecian  Knabbs,"  and  other  poems  in  "  Broad  Buchans,"  with 
William  Forbes,  some  time  schoolmaster  at  Peterculter,  author  of 
"The  Dominie  Deposed,"  who  is  said  to  have  enlisted,  or  to  have 
left  Scotland  for  Ireland,  about  1732.  The  last-named  may,  pro- 
bably, have  been  "the  author  or  preserver  of  this  ballad;"  but  this 
cannot  be  definitely  affirmed. 

It  is  here  printed  in  all  its  native  simplicity,  as  a  specimen  of  the 
language  which  seems  to  have  prevailed  from  time  immemorial  in  the 
districts  of  Buchan  on  the  north-east,  and  of  Galloway  in  the  south- 
west, of  Scotland.     See  note,  ante,  p.  218. 

1  MuRN,  ye  heighlands,  and  mum,  ye  leighlands!  * 

I  trow  ye  ha'e  meikle  need ; 

For  the  bonnie  bum  o'  Corichie 

His  run  this  day  wi'  bleid. 

2  Thi  hopefu'  Laird  o'  Finliter, 

Erie  Huntley's  gallant  son, 
For  thi  love  hi  bare  our  beauteous  quine,f 
His  gar't  fair  Scotland  mone. 

3  Hi  has  broken  his  ward  in  Aberdene, 

Throu'  dreid  o'  thi  fause  Murry, 
And  his  gather't  the  gentle  Gordone  clan, 
An'  his  father,  auld  Huntly. 

4  Fain  wid  he  tak'  our  bonnie,  guide  quine, 

An'  beare  hir  awa'  wi'  him; 
But  Murry's  slee  wyles  spoilt  a'  thi  sport, 
And  reft  him  o'  lyfe  and  lim. 

6    Murry  gar't  rayse  the  tardy  Merns  men, 
An'  Angis,  an'  mony  ane  mair; 
Erie  Morton,  and  the  Byres  Lord  Linsay, 
And  campit  at  thi  Hill  o'  Fare. 

•  Highlands  and  Lowlands.  t 'Quii^Q-"  ft<i6en. 


THE   BATTLE   OF  CORICHIE.  605 


6  Erie  Huntley  cam'  wi'  Haddo  Gordone, 

An'  countit  ane  thusan'  men; 
But  Murry  had  abien  twal  hunder, 
Wi'  sax  score  horsemen  and  ten. 

7  They  soundit  thi  bougills  an'  the  trumpita. 

An'  marchit  on  in  brave  array; 
Till  the  spiers  and  the  axis  forgatherit, 
An'  than  did  begin  thi  fray. 

8  Thi  Gordones  sae  fercelie  did  fecht  it, 

Withouten  terrer  or  dreid ; 
That  mony  o'  Murry's  men  lay  gaspin'. 
And  dyit  thi  grand  wi'  theire  bleid. 

9  Then  fause  Murry  feignit  to  flee  them, 

An'  they  pursuit  at  his  backe, 
When  thi  haf  o'  thi  Gordones  desertit, 
An'  tumit  wi'  Murry  in  a  crack. 

10  Wi'  hether  in  thir  bonnits  they  turnit, 

The  traiter  Haddo  o'  thir  heid, 
An'  slaid  theire  britheris  an'  their  fatheris, 
An'  spoilit,  and  left  them  for  deid. 

11  Then  Murry  cried  to  tak'  thi  auld  Gordone, 

An'  mony  ane  ran  wi'  speid ; 
But  Stuart  o'  Inchbraik  had  him  stickit, 
An'  out  gushit  thi  fat  lurdane's  *  bleid. 

12  Then  they  teuke  his  twa  sones,  quick  an'  hale, 

An'  bare  them  awa'  to  Aberdene ; 
But  sair  did  our  gude  quine  lament 
Thi  waefu'  chance  that  they  were  tane. 

13  Erie  Murry  lost  mony  a  gallant  stout  man, 

Thi  hopefu'  laird  o'  Thornitune; 
Pittera's  sons,  and  Eglis'  far-fearit  laird, 
An'  mair  to  me  unkend,  fell  doune. 

14  Erie  Huntley  mist  ten  score  o'  his  bra'  men. 

Sum  o'  heigh,  and  sum  o'  leigh  degree : 
Skeenis  youngest  son,  thi  pryde  o'  a'  the  clan. 
Was  ther  fun  j-  deid,  he  widna  flee. 

15  This  bluidy  fecht  wis  fercely  faucht, 

Octobri's  aught-and-twenty  day, 
Christ's  fyfteen  hunder,  thriscore  year, 
An'  twa,  will  merk  the  deidlie  fray. 

*  "Lurdane:"  a  heavy  stupid  fellow.  t  "Fun:"  found. 


506  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


16  But  now  thi  day  maist  waefu'  cam', 

That  day  the  quine  did  greit  her  fill ; 
For  Huntly's  gallant,  stalwart  son, 
Wis  headit  on  thi  heidin  hill. 

17  Fyve  noble  Gordones  wi'  him  hangit  were, 

Upon  thi  samen  fatal  playne; 
Cruel  Murry  gar't  thi  waefu'  quine  luke  out, 
And  see  her  lover  and  liges  slayne.  * 

18  I  wis  our  quine  had  better  frinds, 

I  wis  our  countrie  better  peice ; 
I  wis  our  lords  wid  na  discord, 

I  wis  our  weirs  at  hame  may  ceisel 


GLENLOGIE 


"  '  The  Scottish  Minstrel  a  Selection  from  the  Vocal  Melodies  of 
Scotland,  Ancient  and  Modem,  arranged  for  the  Pianoforte,  by  R.  A. 
Smith,'  in  six  volumes,  the  last  of  which  was  published  in  1824 — a 
work  valuable  for  the  many  original  pieces  of  music  contributed  by 
the  distinguished  composer  who  superintended  its  progress  through 
the  press — contains  in  its  fourth  volume,  published  in  1822,  the 
first  printed  version  of  the  following  ballad. 

"  Another  version  is  given  in  Mr.  Sharpe's  Ballad  Book,  Edinburgh, 
1824,  and  two  years  afterwards  it  appeared  in  The  Popular  Rhymes  of 
Scotland,  with  this  announcement : — '  We  subjoin  a  ballad  iiever  before 
published,  in  which  they  are  styled  gay  (the  writer  is  speaking  of  the 
Gordons),  and  in  which  a  fine  trait  of  their  personal  manners  is  pre- 
served.'   P.  200. 

"  It  is  said,  the  one-half  of  the  world  does  not  know  how  the  other 
half  lives,  and  it  would  seem,  from  the  above  quotation,  that  one-half 
of  the  literary  population  either  forgets,  or  is  in  happy  ignorance  of 
what  its  other  half  has  written.  Of  the  two  versions,  that  in  the 
Scottish  Minstrel  is  the  more  poetical" — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p. 
xcii.,  and  note  128. 

A  still  ampler  and  more  circumstantial  version  appears  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  188,  under  the  title  of  "  Jean  o'  Beth- 
elnie's  Love  for  Sir  George  Gordon." 

The  version  which  follows  is  based  on  a  MS.  version  communicated 
to  Mr.  Buchan  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  Alexander  Laing,  dated  Brechin, 
April  9th,  1829,  and  there  given  by  him  as  taken  down  from  "the 
recitation  of  the  amiable  daughter  of"  a  clergyman  in  the  North. 

A  few  emendations  and  corrections  have,  however,  been  adopted 
from  the  previously,  printed  versions.  Stanza  10,  as  compounded  out 
of  the  Scottish  Minstrel  and  Buchan's  versions,  has  also  been  added 
within  brackets. 

•  There  is  no  reliable  testimony  in  support  of  this  last  statement 


GLENL06IE.  507 


The  date  of  the  ballad,  and  the  circumstances  which  furnished  its 
theme,  are  thus  stated  by  Mr.  Buchan: — "When  the  intestine 
troubles  and  broils  of  the  North  disturbed  the  public  peace  so  much, 
in  1562,  the  Queen's  presence  was  thought  necessary  to  put  a  stop  to 
some  of  them ;  and  for  that  purpose  she  appeared  in  the  North 
among  her  friends  and  foes. 

"Jean,  daughter  of  Baron  Meldrum  and  Laird  of  Bethel nie,  in 
Aberdeenshire,  was  one  of  Queen  Mary's  favourites,  with  whom  she 
occasionally  dined  at  the  House  of  Fettemear,  where  the  Queen 
resided  for  a  few  days  ;  and,  having  chanced  to  espy  Sir  George 
Gordon  of  Glenlogie,  as  he  rode  through  the  village  of  Banchory,  fell 
desperately  in  love  with  him ;  and,  that  he  might  know  her  case, 
she  despatched  a  letter  to  him  for  that  purpose  ;  but  he,  for  a  whUe, 
made  light  of  the  same,  which  came  to  the  lady's  ears,  and  threw  her 
into  a  violent  fever.  Her  father's  chaplain,  no  doubt  bred  at  the 
court  of  Cupid,  undertook  the  correspondence,  and  was  more  success- 
ful. She  was  afterwards  married  to  Sir  George,  the  object  of  her 
wishes,  in  her  fifteenth  year." — Ancient  Ballads,  voL  i.,  p.  310. 

Mr.  Buchan's  version  opens  as  follows  : — 

"  There  were  fonr-and-twenty  ladies, 
Dined  i'  the  Queen's  ha' ; 
I  And  Jean  o'  Bethelnie 

Was  the  flower  o'  them  a'. 

"  Fonr-and-twenty  gentlemen 
Kode  thro'  Banchory  fair; 
But  bonnie  Glenlogie 
Was  the  flower  that  was  there. 

•*  Young  Jean  at  a  window. 
She  chanced  to  sit  nigh; 
And  upon  Glenlogie 
She  fixed  an  eye." 

1  There  was  monie  a  braw  noble 

Came  to  our  Queen's  ha' ; 
But  the  bonnie  Glenlogie 

Was  the  flower  of  them  a'. 
And  the  young  Ladye  Jeanie, 

Sae  gude  and  sae  fair, 
She  fancied  Glenlogie 

Aboon  a'  that  were  there. 

2  She  speired  at  his  footman, 

That  ran  by  his  side, 
His  name,  and  his  sirname, 

And  where  he  did  bide. 
"  He  bides  at  Glenlogie, 

When  he  is  at  hame ; 
He's  of  the  gay  Gordons, 

And  George  is  his  name." 


508  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


3  She  wrote  to  Glenlogie, 

To  tell  him  her  mind : 
"  My  love  is  laid  on  you, 

Oh,  will  you  prove  kind  ?  " 
He  turn'd  about  lightly, 

As  the  Gordons  do  a' : 
"  I  thank  you,  fair  ladye, 

But  I'm  promis'd  awa." 

4  She  call'd  on  her  maidens 

Her  jewels  to  take, 
And  to  lay  her  in  bed, 

For  her  heart  it  did  break. 
"  Glenlogie  !  Glenlogie ! 

Glenlogie ! "  said  she ; 
"  If  I  getna  Glenlogie, 

I'm  sure  I  will  dee." 

5  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  daughter, 

And  weep  na  sae  sair ; 
For  you'll  get  Drumfindlay, 

His  father's  young  heir." 
"  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  father, 

And  let  me  alane ; 
If  I  getna  Glenlogie, 

I'll  never  wed  ane."* 

G     Then  her  father's  old  chaplain — 

A  man  of  great  skill — 
He  wrote  to  Glenlogie, 

The  cause  of  this  ill ; 
And  her  father,  he  sent  off 

This  letter  with  speed, 
By  a  trusty  retainer, 

Who  rode  his  best  steed. 

The  first  line  that  he  read, 

A  light  laugh  gave  he; 
The  next  line  that  he  read, 

The  tear  fiU'd  each  e'e: 
"  Oh,  what  a  man  am  I, 

That  a  leal  heart  should  break? 
Or  that  sic  a  fair  maid 

Should  die  for  my  sake? 

'  'Oh,  haud  your  tongue,  dochter,  ye'U  get  better  than  he; ' 
'  Oh,  say  nae  sae,  mither,  tor  that  canna  be ; 
Though  Drumlie  is  richer,  and  greater  than  he, 
Yet  if  I  maun  tak'  him,  I'll  certainly  dee.' " — Scottish  Minstrel  version. 


THE  queen's  marie.  509 


8  "  Go,  saddle  my  horse, 

Go,  saddle  him  soon, 
Go,  saddle  the  swiftest 

E'er  rode  frae  the  toun." 
But  ere  it  was  saddled, 

And  brought  to  the  door, 
Glenlogie  was  on  the  road 

Three  miles  or  more. 

9  When  he  came  to  her  father's, 

Great  grief  there  was  there ; 
There  was  weeping,  and  wailing. 

And  sabbin'  full  sair. 
Oh,  pale  and  wan  was  she 

When  Glenlogie  gaed  in ; 
But  she  grew  red  and  rosy 

When  Glenlogie  gaed  ben. 

10  [Then  out  spake  her  father, 

With  tears  in  each  e'e : 
"  You're  welcome,  Glenlogie, 

You're  welcome  to  me." 
And  out  spake  her  mother : 

"  You're  welcome,"  said  she; 
*'  You're  welcome,  Glenlogie, 

Your  Jeanie  to  see."] 

11  "  Oh,  turn,  Ladye  Jeanie, 

Turn  round  to  this  side. 
And  I'll  be  the  bridegroom, 

And  you'll  be  the  bride." 
Oh,  it  was  a  blythe  wedding, 

As  ever  was  seen; 
And  bonnie  Jeanie  Melville 

Was  scarcely  sixteen. 


THE  QUEEN'S  MARIE. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  294. 

"  '  In  the  very  time  of  the  General  Assembly,  there  comes  to  pubhc 
knowledge  a  haynous  murther,  committed  in  the  court ;  yea,  not  far 
from  the  Queen's  lap ;  for  a  French  woman,  that  served  in  the 
Queen's  chamber,  had  played  the  whore  with  the  Queen's  own 
apothecary.  The  woman  conceived  and  bare  a  childe,  whom,  with 
common  consent,  the  father  and  mother  murthered;  yet  were  the 
cries  of  a  new-borne  childe  hearde,  searche  was  made,  the  childe  and 
the  mother  were  both  apprehended,  and  so  were  the  man  and  the 


510  BALLAD  MIKSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


woman  condemned  to  be  hanged  in  the  publicke  street  of  Edinburgh. 
The  punishment  was  suitable,  because  the  crime  was  haynous.  But 
yet  was  not  the  court  purged  of  whores  and  whoredoms,  which  was 
the  fountaine  of  such  enormities ;  for  it  was  well  known  that  shame 
hasted  marriage  betwixt  John  SempiU,  called  the  Dancer,  and  Mary 
Levingston,*  sirnamed  the  Lusty.  What  bruit  the  Maries,  and  the 
rest  of  the  dancers  of  the  court  had,  the  ballads  of  that  age  doe 
witnesse,  which  we  for  modestie's  sake  omit ;  but  this  was  the 
common  complaint  of  all  godly  and  wise  men,  that  if  they  thought 
such  a  court  could  long  continue,  and  if  they  looked  for  no  better 
life  to  come,  they  would  have  wished  their  sonnes  and  daughters 
rather  to  have  been  brought  up  with  fiddlers  and  dancers,  and  to 
have  been  exercised  with  flinging  upon  a  floore,  and  in  the  rest  that 
thereof  followes,  than  to  have  been  exercised  in  the  company  of  the 
godly,  and  exercised  in  virtue,  which  in  that  court  was  hated,  and 
falthenesse  not  only  maintained,  but  also  rewarded ;  witnesse  the 
Abbey  of  Abercome,  the  Barony  of  Auchtermuchtie,  and  divers 
others,  pertaining  to  the  patrimony  of  the  crown,  given  in  heritage 
to  skippers  and  dancers,  and  daUiers  with  dames.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  regiment  of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  and  these  were 
the  fruits  that  she  brought  forth  of  France. — Lord!  look  on  our 
miseries  !  and  deliver  us  from  the  wickedness  of  this  corrupt  court ! ' 
— Knox's  History  of  the  Reformation,  pp.  373-4. 

"Such  seems  to  be  the  subject  of  the  following  ballad,  as  narrated 
by  the  stern  apostle  of  Presbytery.  It  will  readily  strike  the  reader, 
that  the  tale  has  suffered  great  alterations,  as  handed  down  by 
tradition  ;  the  French  waiting-woman  being  changed  into  Mary  Hamil- 
ton, +  and  the  Queen's  apothecary  into  Henry  Darnley.    Yet  this  is 

*  "John  Semple,  Bon  of  Eobert,  Lord  Semple  (by  Elizabeth  Carlisle,  a  daughter 
of  the  Lord  Torthorald),  was  ancestor  of  the  Semples  of  Beltrees.  He  was  married 
to  Mary,  sister  to  William  Livingston,  and  one  of  the  maids  of  honour  to  Queen 
Mary;  by  whom  he  had  Sir  James  Semple  of  Beltrees,  his  son  and  heir,"  &c.; 
afterwards  ambassador  to  England,  for  King  James  VL,  in  1599.— Crawford's 
History  ofRenfrevo,  p.  101. 

■fA  very  odd  coincidence  in  name,  crime,  and  catastrophe,  occurred  at  the  court 
of  Czar  Peter  the  Great  It  is  thus  detailed  by  the  obliging  correspondent  who 
recommended  it  to  my  notice : — 

"  Miss  Hambleton,  a  maid  of  honour  to  the  Empress  Catherine,  had  an  amour, 
which,  at  different  times,  produced  three  children.  She  had  always  pleaded 
sickness;  but  Peter,  being  suspicious,  ordered  his  physician  to  attend  her,  who  soon 
made  the  discovery.  It  also  appeared  that  a  sense  of  shame  had  triumphed  over 
her  humanity,  and  that  the  children  had  been  put  to  death  as  soon  as  born.  Peter 
inquired  if  the  father  of  them  was  privy  to  the  murder;  the  lady  insisted  that  he 
was  innocent ;  for  she  had  always  deceived  him,  by  pretending  that  they  were  sent 
to  nurse.  Justice  now  called  upon  the  emperor  to  punish  the  offence.  The  lady 
was  much  beloved  by  the  empress,  who  pleaded  for  her;  the  amour  was  jjardonable, 
but  not  the  murder.  Peter  sent  her  to  the  castle,  and  went  himself  to  visit  her;  and 
the  fact  being  confessed,  he  pronounced  her  sentence  with  tears ;  telling  her,  that 
his  duty  as  a  prince,  and  God's  vicegerent,  called  on  him  for  that  justice  which  her 
crime  had  rendered  indispensably  necessary;  and  that  she  must  therefore  prepare 
for  death.  He  attended  her  also  on  the  scaffold,  where  he  embraced  her  with  the 
utmost  tenderness,  mixed  with  sorrow ;  and  some  say,  when  the  head  was  struck 
off,  he  took  it  up  by  the  ear,  whilst  the  lips  were  stiU  trembling,  and  kissed  them; 
a  circumstance  of  an  extraordinary  nature,  and  yet  not  incredible,  considering  the 
peculiarities  of  his  character." 

[The  obliging  correspondent  was  probably  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  as  he  recapitulates 
th  •  story  in  the  introduction  to  his  own  version  of  the  ballad,  and  adds: — "I  cannot 
help  thinking  that  the  two  stories  have  been  confused  in  the  ballad;  for,  if  Marie 


THE  queen's  marie.  511 


less  surprising,  when  we  recollect,  that  one  of  the  heaviest  of  the 
Queen's  complaints  against  her  ill-fated  husband,  was  his  infidelity, 
and  that  even  with  her  personal  attendants.  I  have  been  enabled 
to  publish  the  following  complete  edition  of  the  ballad,  by  copies  from 
various  quarters ;  that  principally  used  was  communicated  to  me, 
in  the  most  poMte  manner,  by  Mr.  Kirkpatricke  Sharpe,  of  Hoddom, 
to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  many  similar  favours. " — Scott. 

[Scott's  version  of  this  popular  ballad  was  the  one  first  published, 
and,  in  its  latest  form,  it  is  on  the  whole  the  best. 

The  versions  which  have  since  appeared  are  as  imder : — 

11.  "  Marie  HamUton,"  in  A  Ballad  Book  (p.  18),  edited  by  C. 
K.  Sharpe. 

III.  "  Mary  Hamilton,"  ia  A  North  Countrie  Garland  (p.  19), 

edited  by  Mr.  Maidment. 

IV.  "  Mary  Hamilton,"  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  401.    This 

version  "  shows  the  state  in  which  it  is  frequently  to 
be  met  with,  as  preserved  by  tradition,  in  the  West  of 
Scotland."  Mr.  Motherwell  has  also  appended  sundry 
fragments  of  other  versions,  as  gleaned  from  recitation. 

V.  "Mary  Hamilton,"  in  Kinloch's -dwden^  Scottish  Ballads, 
p.  252,  and  is  there  stated  to  be  a  "  North  Country 
version."  Two  stanzas  of  a  different  version  are  also 
appended  by  him  to  his  introductory  note. 

VI.   ' '  Warenston  and  the  Duke  of  York's  Daughter,"  in  Buchan's 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  190. 

As  the  paternity  of  the  murdered  bairn  is,  by  Professor  Aytoun 
and  others,  fathered  upon  Damley,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  incident 
quoted  by  Scott  from  Knox  occurred  in  1563,  and  that  Darnley  did 
not  arrive  in  Scotland  until  1564. 

Scott's  text,  with  his  introduction  and  notes,  are  here  given,  with 
the  addition  of  stanza  19,  from  Kinloch's  version.  Various  readings 
from  the  different  versions  are  also  noted  under  the  text. 

The  matter  inserted  in  addition  to  Scott's  is  placed  within 
brackets.] 

1    Marie  Hamilton  's  to  the  kirk  gane, 
With  ribbons  in  her  hair; 
The  King  thought  mair  of  Marie  Hamilton, 
Than  ony  that  were  there. 

Hamilton  was  executed  in  Scotland,  it  is  not  likely  that  her  relations  resided  beyond 
seas;  and  we  have  no  proof  that  Hamilton  was  really  the  name  of  the  woman  who 
made  a  slip  with  the  Queen's  apothecary." 

C.  K.  Sharpe  surely  overlooked  the  fact  of  the  supposed  delinquent  being  "  a 
French  woman,"  as  stated  in  the  quotation  from  Knox.  It  is  quite  likely,  however. 
that  the  old  ballad  was  re-christened  after  the  Miss  Hambleton,  or  Hamilton,  of 
Bussian  notoriety;  and  it  may  have  been  also  altered  and  corrupted,  to  adapt  it  better 
to  the  circumstances  of  the  latter  case.] 


512  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Marie  Hamilton 's  to  the  kirk  gane, 

With  ribbons  on  her  breast; 
The  King  thought  mair  of  Marie  Hamilton, 

Than  he  listen'd  to  the  priest. 

Marie  Hamilton  's  to  the  kirk  gane, 

With  gloves  upon  her  hands; 
The  King  thought  mair  of  Marie  Hamilton, 

Than  the  Queen  and  all  her  lands. 

She  hadna  been  about  the  King's  court 

A  month  but  barely  one, 
Till  she  was  beloved  by  all  the  King's  court, 

And  the  King  the  only  man.* 

She  hadna  been  about  the  King's  court 

A  month  but  barely  three. 
Till  frae  the  King's  court  Marie  Hamilton, 

Marie. Hamilton  durstna  be. 

The  King  is  to  the  Abbey  gane, 

To  pull  the  Abbey  tree,  f 
To  scale  the  babe  frae  Marie's  heart! 

But  the  thing  it  wou'dna  be. 

Oh,  she  has  row'd  it  in  her  apron, 

And  set  it  on  the  sea : 
"  Gae  sink  ye,  or  swim  ye,  bonnie  babe, 

Ye'se  get  nae  mair  of  me." 

Word  is  to  the  kitchen  gane, 

And  word  is  to  the  ha'. 
And  word  is  to  the  noble  room, 

Amang  the  ladyes  a', 
That  Marie  Hamilton  's  brought  to  bed, 

And  the  bonnie  babe 's  miss'd  and  awa. 

Scarcely  had  she  lain  down  again, 

And  scarcely  fa'en  asleep, 
When  up  then  started  our  good  Queen, 

Just  at  her  bed-feet ; 


*  [Stanza  4  is  somewhat  obscure.    It  should  probably  read:— 
"  She  hadna  been  about  the  King's  court 
A  month  but  barely  twa. 
Till  she  was  beloved  by  all  the  King's  court, 
And  by  the  King  maist  of  a'."] 

t  ["Abbey  tree."    Motherwell's  version  reads  "  Savin  tree."] 


THE  queen's  marie.  513 


Saying — "  Marie  Hamilton,  where  's  your  babe? 
For  I'm  sure  I  heard  it  greet."  * 

10  "  Oh  no,  oh  no,  my  noble  Queen ! 

Think  no  such  thing  to  be ; 

'Twas  but  a  stitch  into  my  side, 

And  sair  it  troubles  me."f 

11  "  Get  up,  get  up,  Marie  Hamilton : 

Get  up  and  follow  me ; 
For  I  am  going  to  Edinburgh  town, 
A  rich  wedding  to  see."  J 

12  Oh,  slowly,  slowly  raise  she  up, 

And  slowly  put  she  on ; 
And  slowly  rode  she  out  the  way, 
With  mony  a  weary  groan. 

13  The  Queen  was  clad  in  scarlet, 

Her  merry  maids  all  in  green ; 

And  every  town  that  they  came  to, 

They  took  Marie  for  the  Queen. 

14  "  Eide  hooly,  hooly,  gentlemen, 

Kide  hooly  now  with  me ! 
For  never,  I  am  sure,  a  wearier  burd 
Rade  in  your  companie." 

15  But  little  wist  Marie  Hamilton, 

When  she  rade  on  the  brown. 
That  she  was  gaen  to  Edinburgh  town, 
And  all  to  be  put  down. 

16  "  Why  weep  ye  so,  ye  burgess  wives. 

Why  look  ye  so  on  me  ? 
Oh,  I  am  going  to  Edinburgh  town, 
A  rich  wedding  to  see." 

^7     When  she  gaed  up  the  tolbooth  stairs, 
The  corks  frae  her  heels  did  flee  ; 
And  lang  or  e'er  she  came  down  again, 
She  was  condenm'd  to  dee. 

*  ["  Queen  Mary  came  tripping  down  the  stairs, 
Wi'  the  gold  rings  in  her  hair : 
'Oh.  where  is  the  little  babe,'  she  says, 
'  That  I  heard  greet  sae  sair? '" — Motherwell's  version.] 

t  ["  'There  is  nae  babe  within  my  bower, 
And  I  hope  there  ne'er  will  be ; 
But  it's  me  wi'  a  sair  and  sick  colic, 
And  I'm  just  like  to  dee.' " — Kinloch's  version.] 

i  ["  '  For  I  will  on  to  Edinburgh, 

And  try  the  veritie,'  " — Buchan's  version.] 
2h 


514  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


18  When  she  came  to  the  Netherbow  Port,* 

She  laugh'd  loud  laughters  three ; 
But  when  she  came  to  the  gallows  foot, 
The  tears  blinded  her  e'e. 

19  ["  Oh,  happy,  happy  is  the  maid 

That 's  born  of  beauty  free  ! 

It  was  my  dimpling  rosie  cheeks 

That 's  been  the  dule  of  me.] 

20  "  Yestreen  the  Queen  had  four  Maries, 

The  night  she'll  ha'e  but  three; 
There  was  Marie  Seaton,  and  Marie  Beaton, 
And  Marie  Carmichael,  and  me.t 

21  "  Oh,  often  have  I  dress'd  my  Queen, 

And  put  gold  upon  her  hair; 
But  now  I've  gotten,  for  my  reward, 
The  gallows  to  be  my  share. 

22  "  Oh,  often  have  I  dress'd  my  Queen, 

And  often  made  her  bed; 
But  now  I've  gotten,  for  my  reward, 
The  gallows  tree  to  tread. 

23  "  I  charge  ye  all,  ye  mariners, 

When  ye  sail  o'er  the  faem. 
Let  neither  my  father  nor  mother  get  wit, 
But  that  I'm  coming  hame. 

*  The  Netherbow  Port  was  the  gate  ■which  divided  the  City  of  Edinburgh  from 
the  suburb  called  the  Canongate.  It  had  towers  and  a  spire,  which  formed  a  fine 
termination  to  the  view  from  the  Cross.  The  gate  was  pulled  down  in  one  of  those 
Jits  of  rajje  for  indiscriminate  destruction,  with  which  the  magistrates  of  a  corpora- 
tion are  sometimes  visited. 

t  The  Queen's  Maries  were  four  young  ladies  of  the  highest  families  in  Scotland, 
who  were  sent  to  France  in  her  train,  and  returned  with  her  to  Scotland.  They  are 
mentioned  by  Knox,  in  the  quotation  introductory  to  this  ballad.  Keith  gives  us 
their  names,  p.  55.    "The  young  Queen,  Mary,  embarked  at  Dumbarton  for  France, 

.  .  and  with  her  went  .  .  .  and  four  young  virgins,  all  of  the  name  of  Mary, 
viz.,  Livingston,  Fleming,  Seatoun,  and  Beatoun."  The  Queen's  Maries  are  men- 
tioned again  by  the  same  author,  pp.  288  and  291,  in  the  note.  Neither  Mary 
Livingston,  nor  Mary  Fleming,  are  mentioned  in  the  ballad;  nor  are  the  Mary 
Hamilton,  and  Mary  CarmichaeL  of  the  ballad,  mentioned  by  Keith.  But  if  this 
corps  continued  to  consist  of  young  virgins,  as  when  originally  raised,  it  could 
hardly  have  subsisted  without  occasional  recruits;  especially  if  we  trust  our  old 
bard,  and  John  Knox. 

The  Queens  Maries  are  mentioned  in  many  ballads,  and  the  name  seems  to  havev 
passed  into  a  general  denomination  for  female  attendants; — 
"  Now  bear  a  hand,  my  Maries  a'. 

And  busk  me  brave,  and  make  me  fine." — Old  Ballad. 

[Mr.  Maidment  states  that  "Marie  Carmichael  was  a  daughter  of  John  Car- 
michael of  that  ilk,  and  sister  of  Sir  John  Carmichael,  warden  of  the  Middle 
Marches,"  who  figures  in  the  subsequent  ballad,  "  The  Baid  of  Beidswire.''] 


EDOM  O'   GORDON.  515 


24  "  I  charge  ye  all,  ye  mariners, 

That  sail  upon  the  sea, 
Let  neither  my  father  nor  mother  get  wit. 
This  dog's  death  I'm  to  dee. 

25  "  For  if  my  father  and  mother  got  wit, 

And  my  bold  brethren  three, 
Oh,  meikle  wou'd  be  the  gude  red  bluid 
This  day  wou'd  be  spilt  for  me ! 

26  "  Oh,  little  did  my  mother  ken, 

That  day  she  cradled  me, 
The  lands  I  was  to  travel  in, 
Or  the  death  I  was  to  dee ! "  * 


EDOM  0'  GORDON. 

"  An  ancient  Scottish  poem  ; "  was  first  "  printed  at  Glasgow,  by 
Eobert  and  Andrew  Foules,  MDCCLV.,  small  4to,  12  pages." 

"  We  are,"  says  Percy,  "  indebted  for  its  publication  to  Sir  David 
Dalrymple,  Bart.,  who  gave  it  as  it  was  preserved  in  the  memory  of 
a  lady  that  is  now  dead." 

The  ballad  was  next  inserted  by  Percy  in  the  Beliques,  voL  i,  "im- 
proved, and  enlarged  t  with  several  fine  stanzas,  recovered  from  a 

*  [This  stanza  occurs,  aXvaost  verbatim,  in  the  following  passage  of  a  letter  written 
by  Bums  to  Mre.  Dunlop,  bearing  date  25th  January,  1795:  — 

"  Little  does  the  fond  mother  think,  as  she  hangs  delighted  over  the  sweet  little 
leech  at  her  bosom,  where  the  poor  fellow  may  hereafter  wander,  and  what  may  be 
his  fate.  I  rememljer  a  stanza  in  an  old  Scottish  ballad,  which,  notwithstanding  its 
mde  simplicity,  speaks  feelingly  to  the  heart, — 

'Little  did  my  mother  think, 

That  day  she  cradled  me. 
What  land  I  was  to  travel  in, 

Or  what  death  I  should  dee.' 

"  Old  Scotch  songs  are,  you  know,  a  favourite  study  and  pursuit  of  mine ;  and  now 
I  am  on  that  subject,  allow  me  to  give  you  two  stanzas  of  another  old  simple  ballad, 
which,  I  am  sure,  will  please  you.  The  catastrophe  of  the  piece  is  a  poor  ruined 
female,  lamenting  her  fate.    She  concludes  with  the  pathetic  wish, — 

'O  that  my  father  had  ne'er  on  me  smil'd; 

O  that  my  mother  had  ne'er  to  me  sung; 
O  that  my  cradle  had  never  been  rock'd ; 

But  that  I  had  died  when  I  was  young! 

'O  that  the  grave  it  were  my  bed. 

My  blankets  were  my  windimc-sheet; 
The  clocks  and  the  worms  my  bed-follows  a', 

And,  O,  sae  sound  as  I  should  sleep ! ' 

"  I  do  not  remember,  in  all  my  reading,  to  have  met  with  anything  more  truly 
the  language  of  misery,  than  the  exclamation  in  the  last  line.  Misery  is  like  love- 
to  speak  its  language  truly,  the  author  must  have  felt  it."]  ' 

t  Bitson  says—"  Interpolated,  and  corrupted." 


516  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


fragment  of  the  same  ballad,  in  the  editor's  folio  MS.  It  is  remai-k- 
able  that  the  latter  is  entitled  Captain  Adam  Carre,  and  is  in  the 
English  idiom. " 

Another  version,  closely  resembling  the  Percy  MS.  copy,  was  next 
given  by  Kitson,  in  his  Ancient  Songs,  London,  1790,  p.  137.  This 
■was  printed  from  a  copy  "preserved  in  a  miscellaneous  collection  in 
the  Cotton  Library,  marked  Vespasian,  A,  xxv." 

Another  version  of  the  story,  entitled  Loudoun  Castle,  was  given 
in  the  Statistical  Account  of  the  Parish  of  Loudoun, — where  it  is 
stated  that  the  old  Castle  of  Loudoun  is  supposed  to  have  been 
destroyed  by  fire,  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  "The 
current  tradition,"  says  its  writer,  "ascribes  that  event  to  the  clan 
Kennedy." 

Ritson,  in  his  Scottish  Song,  voL  iL.,  p.  17,  gives  the  version 
printed  by  Eobert  and  Andrew  Foules  (with  the  exception  of  a  few 
unimportant  verbal  and  orthographical  changes). 

Archbishop  Spottiswoode  gives  the  following  historical  account  of 
the  matter : — 

"  Anno  1571.  In  the  north  parts  of  Scotland,  Adam  Gordon  (who 
was  deputy  for  his  brother,  the  Earl  of  Huntly)  did  keep  a  great 
stir ;  and,  under  colour  of  the  Queen's  authority,  committed  divers 
oppressions,  especially  upon  the  Forbes's,  .  .  .  having  killed 
Arthur  Forbes,  brother  to  the  Lord  Forbes.  .  .  .  Not  long  after, 
he  sent  to  summon  the  house  of  Tavoy,  pertaining  to  Alexander 
Forbes.  The  lady  refusing  to  yield  without  direction  from  her 
husband,  he  put  fire  into  it,  and  burnt  her  therein,  with  children  and 
servants,  being  twenty-seven  persons  in  all. 

"This  inhuman  and  barbarous  cruelty  made  his  name  odious,  and 
stained  all  his  former  doings ;  otherwise  he  was  held  very  active  and 
fortunate  in  his  enterprises." — History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  p. 
259. 

From  Crawford's  Memoirs  we  learn  that  the  party  "sent"  was 
"one  Captain  Ker,  with  a  party  of  foot.  .  .  .  Nor  was  he  ever 
so  much  as  cashiered  for  this  inhuman  action,  which  made  Gordon 
share  both  in  the  scandal  and  the  guilt." — An.  1571,  p.  240,  edit. 
1706. 

"  From  the  somewhat  confused  genealogy  of  the  famUy  of  Forbes 
(Inverness,  1819,  8vo,  p.  44),  by  Mr.  Mathew  Lumsden  of  TuUikeme, 
written  in  1580,  we  gather  that  the  Lady  of  Towie,  who  was  burnt, 
with  her  children,  in  'the  Castell  of  Cargafi^e,'  was  named  Margaret 
Campbell,  a  daughter  of  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Calder,  Knight.  Her 
husband's  name  was  John ;  and  after  the  destruction  of  his  wife  and 
family,  he  married  a  daughter  of  Forbes  of  Reires,  and  by  her  had  a 
son  named  Arthur." — Maidment's  Scotish  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i, 
pp.  226-7. 

It  wUl  be  seen,  from  this  last  extract,  that  the  alleged  felo-de-se  of 
the  bereaved  husband,  so  pathetically  described  in  the  last  stanza, 
is  purely  apocryphal. 

The  version,  first  printed  at  Glasgow,  is  here  mainly  followed ;  but 
Percy's  additional  stanzas,  most  of  which  are  derived  from  his  own 


EDOM   O'   GORDON.  517 


or  the  Cotton  MSS.,  are  retained  within  brackets.  These  last  have, 
however,  been  revised,  and  many  of  the  original  readings  restored, 
from  Kitson's  text  of  the  one,  and  the  recently-printed  copy  of  the 
other,  issued  by  the  Early  English  Text  Society. 

1  It  fell  about  the  Martinmas, 

When  the  wind  blew  shrill  and  cauld. 
Said  Edom  o'  Gordon  to  his  men, — 
"  We  maun  draw  to  a  hald.* 

2  "  And  whatna  hald  shall  we  draw  to, 

My  merry  men  and  me  ? 
We  will  gae  straight  to  Towie  house,"]' 
To  see  that  fair  ladye." 

3  [The  ladye  stood  on  her  castle  wall, 

Beheld  baith  dale  and  down ; 
There  she  was  'ware  of  a  host  of  men 
Came  riding  towards -the  town.  J 

4  "  Oh,  see  ye  not,  my  merry  men  all, 

Oh,  see  ye  not  what  I  see  V 
Methinks  I  see  a  host  of  men  j 
I  marvel  who  they  be." 

5  She  thought  it  had  been  her  own  wed  lord, 

As  he  came  riding  hame ; 
It  was  the  traitor,  Edom  o'  Gordon, 
Wha  reck'd  nae  sin  nor  shame.] 

6  She  had  nae  sooner  buskit  hersel*. 

And  putten  on  her  gown, 
Till  Edom  o'  Gordon  and  his  men 
Were  round  about  the  town. 

7  They  had  nae  sooner  supper  set, 

Nae  sooner  said  the  grace. 
Till  Edom  o'  Gordon  and  his  men 
Were  round  about  the  place. 

•  "  Hald : "  hold. 

t  Lord  Hailes'  copy  reads,— 

"  We  will  gae  to  the  house  o'  the  Ehodes.' 
Thus  erroneously  shiftinor  the  scene  from  its  true  location  in  Aberdeenshire,  to 
Berwickshire,  the  original  seat  in  Scotland  of  the  northern  Gordons. 

The  Une  here  substituted  is  taken  from  an  emendation  of  Pinkerton's  on  the  Eeligves 
text.— Scottish  Tragic  Ballads,  p.  43. 

X  This  word  in  Scotland  signifies  not  only  a  city  or  town,  but  a  farm-steading,  or 
residence. 


618  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


8  The  ladye  ran  to  her  tower  head, 

As  fast  as  she  cou'd  hie, 
To  see  if,  by  her  fair  speeches, 
She  cou'd  with  him  agree. 

9  As  soon  as  he  saw  this  ladye  fair, 

And  her  yetts  all  lockit  fast. 
He  fell  into  a  rage  of  wrath, 
And  his  heart  was  all  aghast. 

10  "  Come  down  to  me,  ye  ladye  gay. 

Come  down,  come  down  to  me ; 
This  night  ye  shall  lye  within  my  arms, 
The  morn  my  bride  shall  be." 

11  "I  winna  come  down,  ye  false  Gordon, 

I  winna  come  down  to  thee  ; 
I  winna  forsake  my  ain  dear  lord, 
That  is  sae  far  frae  me." 

12  "  Gi'e  up  your  house,  ye  ladye  fair, 

Gi'e  up  your  house  to  me  ; 

Or  I  shall  burn  yoursel'  therein, 

Bot  and  your  babies  three." 

13  "  I  winna  gi'e  up,  ye  false  Gordon, 

To  nae  sic  traitor  as  thee ; 
Tho'  you  shou'd  burn  mysel'  therein, 
Bot  and  my  babies  three. 

14  ["  But  fetch  to  me  my  pistolette. 

And  charge  to  me  my  gun ; 
For,  but  if  I  pierce  that  bluidy  butcher, 
My  babes  wo  will  be  undone." 

15  She  stiffly  stood  on  her  castle  wall, 

And  let  the  bullets  flee ; 
She  miss'd  that  bluidy  butcher's  heart, 
Tho'  she  slew  other  three.] 

16  "  Set  fire  to  the  house  !"  quo'  the  false  Gordon, 

"  Since  better  may  nae  be ; 

And  I  will  burn  herseP  therein, 

Bot  and  her  babies  three." 

17  "  Wae  worth,  wae  worth  ye,  Jock,  my  man, 

I  paid  ye  weel  your  fee ; 
Why  pull  ye  out  the  grand- wa'-stane, 
Lets  in  the  reek*  to  me? 

*  "Beek:"  smoke. 


EDOM  O'   GORDON.  519 


18  "  And  e'en  wae  worth  ye,  Jock,  my  man, 

I  paid  ye  weel  your  hire ; 
Why  pull  ye  out  my  grund-wa'-stane, 
To  me  lets  in  the  fire  ?  " 

19  "Ye  paid  me  weel  my  hire,  ladye, 

Ye  paid  me  weel  my  fee  ; 
But  now  I'm  Edom  o'  Gordon's  man, 
Maun  either  do  or  dee." 

20  Oh,  then  out  spake  her  youngest  son, 

Sat  on  the  nurse's  knee  : 
Says — "  Mither  dear,  gi'e  o'er  this  house, 
For  the  reek  it  smothers  me." 

21  ["  I  wou'd  gi'e  all  my  gold,  my  bairn, 

Sae  wou'd  I  all  my  fee, 
For  ae  blast  of  the  westlin'  wind. 
To  blaw  the  reek  frae  thee.] 

22  "  But  I  winna  gi'e  up  my  house,  my  dear, 

To  nae  sic  traitor  as  he ; 
Come  weal,  come  woe,  my  jewels  fair, 
Ye  maun  take  share  with  me." 

23  Oh,  then  out  spake  her  daughter  dear, 

She  was  baith  jimp  and  small : 
"  Oh,  row  me  in  a  pair  of  sheets, 
And  tow  me  o'er  the  wall." 

24  They  row'd  her  in  a  pair  of  sheets. 

And  tow'd  her  o'er  the  wall ; 
But  on  the  point  of  Gordon's  spear 
She  got  a  deadly  fall. 

25  Oh,  bonnie,  bonnie  was  her  mouth, 

And  cherry  were  her  cheeks  •, 
And  clear,  clear  was  her  yellow  hair, 
Whereon  the  red  bluid  dreeps. 

26  Then  with  his  spear  he  turn'd  her  o'er. 

Oh,  gin  her  face  was  wan ! 
He  said — "  You  are  the  first  that  e'er 
I  wish'd  alive  again," 

27  He  turn'd  her  o'er  and  o'er  again. 

Oh,  gin  her  skin  was  white  ! 
"  1  might  lia'e  spared  that  bonnie  face 
To  ha'e  been  some  man's  delight. 


520  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


28  "  Busk  and  boun,  my  merry  men  all, 

For  ill  dooms  I  do  guess ; 
I  canna  look  on  that  bonnie  face, 
As  it  lyes  on  the  grass  ! " 

29  "  Wha  looks  to  freits,*  my  master  dear, 

Their  freits  will  follow  them ; 
Let  it  ne'er  be  said  brave  Edom  o'  Gordon 
Was  daunted  with  a  dame." 

30  [But  when  the  ladye  saw  the  fire 

Come  flaming  o'er  her  head, 
She  wept,  and  kiss'd  her  children  twain ; 
Said — "  Bairns,  we  been  but  dead." 

31  The  Gordon  then  his  bugle  blew, 

And  said — "Away,  away! 
The  house  of  Towie  is  all  in  a  flame, 
I  hald  it  time  to  gae."  f] 

32  Oh,  then  he  spied  her  ain  dear  lord, 

As  he  came  o'er  the  lea ; 
He  saw  his  castle  all  in  a  flame, 
As  far  as  he  could  see. 

33  Then  sair,  oh  sair  his  mind  misgave, 

And  oh,  his  heart  was  wae ! 
"  Put  on,  put  on,  my  wighty  %  men, 
As  fast  as  ye  can  gae. 

34  "  Put  on,  put  on,  my  wighty  men. 

As  fast  as  ye  can  drie ; 
For  he  that  is  hindmost  of  the  thrang 
Shall  ne'er  get  gude  of  me !  " 

35  Then  some  they  rade,  and  some  they  ran, 

Full  fast  out  o'er  the  bent ; 
But  ere  the  foremost  could  win  up, 
Baith  ladye  and  babes  were  brent.  § 

36  [He  wrang  his  hands,  he  rent  his  hair, 

And  wept  in  tearful  mood; 
"  Ah,  traitors !  for  this  cruel  deed, 
Ye  shall  weep  tears  of  bluid." 

*  "Freits:  '  omens. 

t  This  stanza   Beem»i   to  be  Percy's  own.    The   Reliques  text,  however,  reads 
'Bodes,"  in  place  of  "  Towie."    The  Percy  MS.  copy  has  the  following  :— 
"  Then  Captaine  Carre  he  rode  away, 
he  staid  noe  longer  at  that  tide, 
he  thought  that  place  it  was  to  warme, 
soe  neere  for  to  abide." 
t  "  Wighty : "  valiant. 
Brent:"  burnt 


THE  RAID   OF  THE  EEIDSWIRE.  521 


37  And  after  the  Gordon  he  has  gane, 

Sae  fast  as  he  might  drie  j 
And  soon  in  the  Gordon's  foul  heart's  bluid 
He 's  wroken  *  his  dear  ladye.  f ] 

38  And  mony  were  the  mudie  J  men 

Lay  gasping  on  the  green; 
And  mony  were  the  fair  ladyes 
Lay  lemanless  at  hame. 

39  And  mony  were  the  mudie  men 

Lay  gasping  on  the  green ; 
For  of  fifty  men  the  Gordon  brocht, 
There  were  but  five  gaed  hame. 

40  And  round,  and  round  the  walls  he  went, 

Their  ashes  for  to  view; 
At  last  into  the  flames  he  flew, 
And  bade  the  world  adieu. 


THE  RAID  OF  THE  EEIDSWIRE. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  p.  15. 

"  This  poem  is  published  from  a  copy  in  the  Bannatyne  MS.,  in  the 
handwriting  of  the  Hon.  Mr.  Carmichael,  advocate.  It  first  appeared 
in  Allan  Ramsay's  Evergreen,  but  some  liberties  have  been  taken  by 
him  in  transcribing  it;  and,  what  is  altogether  unpardonable,  the 
MS.,  which  is  itself  rather  inaccurate,  has  been  interpolated  to  favour 
his  readings ;  of  which  there  remain  obvious  marks. 

"  The  skirmish  of  the  Reidswire  happened  upon  the  7th  of  June, 
1575,  at  one  of  the  meetings  held  by  the  Wardens  of  the  Marches, 
for  arrangements  necessary  upon  the  Border.  Sir  John  Carmichael, 
ancestor  of  the  present  Earl  of  Hyndford,§  was  the  Scottish  Warden, 
and  Sir  John  Forster  held  that  office  on  the  English  Middle  March. 
In  the  course  of  the  day,  which  was  employed  as  usual  in  redressing 
wrongs,  a  bill,  or  indictment,  at  the  instance  of  a  Scottish  complainer, 
was  fouled  (i.  e.,  found  a  true  bill)  against  one  Famstein,  a  notorious 
English  freebooter.  Forster  alleged  that  he  had  fled  from  justice: 
Carmichael,  considering  this  as  a  pretext  to  avoid  making  compensa- 
tion for  the  felony,  bade  him  '  play  fair ! '  to  which  the  haughty 
EngHsh  Warden  retorted,  by  some  injurious  expressions  respecting 
Carmichael's  family,  and  gave  other  open  signs  of  resentment.  His 
retinue,  chiefly  men  of  Redesdale  and  Tynedale,  the  most  ferocious  of 
the  EngUsh  Borderers,  glad  of  any  pretext  for  a  quarrel,  discharged  a 

*  "  'Wroken : "  revenged 

t  The  two  highly-coloured  stanzas  numbered  36  and  37  appear  to  be  Percy's  own 
as  no  trace  of  them  can  be  foimd  elsewhere. 
J  "Mudie:"  bold. 
§  The  title  of  Hyndford  is  now  extinct  (ISW). 


522  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


flight  of  arrows  among  the  Scots.  A  warm  conflict  ensued,  in  which, 
Carmichael  being  beat  down  and  made  prisoner,  success  seemed  at 
first  to  incline  to  the  English  side,  till  the  Tynedale  men,  throwing 
themselves  too  greedily  upon  the  plunder,  fell  into  disorder ;  and  a 
body  of  Jedburgh  citizens  arriving  at  that  instant,  the  skirmish  ter-^ 
minated  in  a  complete  victory  on  the  part  of  the  Scots,  who  took 
prisoners,  the  English  Warden,  James  Ogle,  Cuthbert  Collingwood, 
Francis  Russell,  son  to  the  Earl  of  Bedford,  and  son-in-law  to  Forster, 
some  of  the  Fenwicks,  and  several  other  Border  chiefs.  They  were 
sent  to  the  Earl  of  Morton,  then  Eegent,  who  detained  them  at 
Dalkeith  for  some  days,  till  the  heat  of  their  resentment  was  abated ; 
which  prudent  precaution  prevented  a  war  betwixt  the  two  kingdoms. 
He  then  dismissed  them  with  great  expressions  of  regard;  and,  to 
satisfy  Queen  Elizabeth,*  sent  Carmichael  to  York,  whence  he  was 
soon  after  honourably  dismissed.  The  field  of  battle,  called  the 
Reidswire,  is  a  part  of  the  Carter  Mountain,  about  ten  miles  from 
Jedburgh. — See,  for  these  particulars,  Godscroft,  Spottiswoode,  and 
Johnstone's  History. 

"  The  editor  has  adopted  the  modem  spelling  of  the  word  Reids- 
wire, to  prevent  the  mistake  in  pronunciation  which  might  be 
occasioned  by  the  use  of  the  Scottish  '  qu  '  for  '  w. '  The  MS.  reads 
'  Reidsquair.'  '  Swair,'  or  'swire,'  signifies  the  descent  of  a  hill;  and 
the  epithet  '  Red '  is  derived  from  the  colour  of  the  heath,  or,  per- 
haps, from  the  Reid  Water,  which  rises  at  no  great  distance." — Scott. 

[The  notes,  which  are  also  from  the  pen  of  Scott,  are,  in  one  or  two 
instances,  abridged.] 

1  The  seventh  of  July,  the  suith  to  say, 

At  the  Reidswire  the  tryst  was  set ; 
Our  wardens  they  affixed  the  day, 

And,  as  they  promised,  sO  they  met. 

Alas!  that  day  I'll  ne'er  for^ett! 
Was  sure  sae  feard,  and  then  sae  faine — 

They  came  theare  justice  for  to  gett, 
Will  never  green  f  to  come  again. 

2  Carmichael  %  was  our  warden  then, 

He  caused  the  country  to  conveen ; 

•  Her  ambassador  at  Edinburgh  refused  to  lie  in  a  bed  of  state,  which  had  been 
provided  for  him,  till  this  "  ondious  fact"  had  been  inquired  into.— Murdin's  State 
Papers,  vol.  ii.,  p.  282. 

I  "Green:"  long. 

X  Sir  John  Cannichael  was  a  favourite  of  the  Eegent  Morton,  by  whom  he  was 
appointed  Warden  of  the  Middle  Marches,  in  preference  to  the  Border  Chieftains. 
[He]  was  murdered,  16th  June,  1600,  by  a  party  of  Borderers,  at  a  place  called 
Baesknows,  near  Lochmaben,  whither  he  was  going  to  hold  a  court  of  jiistice. 
Two  of  the  ringleaders  in  the  slaughter,  Thomas  Armstrong,  called  Kincan's  Tarn, 
and  Adam  Scott,  called  the  Pecket,  were  tried  at  Edinburgh,  at  the  instance  of 
Carmichael  of  Edrom.  They  were  condemned  to  have  their  right  hand  struck  off, 
thereafter  to  be  hanged,  and  their  bodies  gibbeted  on  the  Borough  Moor;  which 
sentence  was  executed,  14th  November,  1601.  "This  Pecket,"  saith  Birrel,  in  his 
Diary,  "  was  ane  of  the  most  notalrie  thieffes  that  ever  raid."  He  calls  his  name 
Steili,  which  appears,  from  the  record,  to  be  a  mistake.  Four  years  afterwards,  an 
Armstrong,  called  Sandy  of  Rowanbum,  and  several  others  of  that  tribe,  were 
executed  for  this  and  other  excesses.— .Boois  ofA.(Hjoumal  of  these  dates. 


THE   RAID   OF  THE   REIDSWIRE.  523 

And  the  Laird's  Wat,  that  worthie  man," 
Brought  in  that  sirname  wee!  beseen  :* 
The  Armestranges,  that  aye  ha'e  been 
,  A  hardy  house,  but  not  a  hail," 

The  Elliots'  honours  to  maintaine, 

Brought  down  the  lave  •*  of  Liddesdale. 

3     Then  Tividale  came  to  with  speid ; 

The  Sheriffe  brought  the  Douglas  down/ 
With  Cranstane,  Gladstain,  good  at  need,-' 

Baith  Eewle  Water,  and  Hawick  town. 

Beanjeddart  bauldy  made  him  boun', 
With  all  the  Trumbills,  stronge  and  stout ; 

The  Rutherfoords,  with  grit  renown, 
Convoy'd  the  town  of  Jedbrugh  out." 

"  The  Chief  who  led  out  the  sirname  of  Seott  upon  this  occasion  was  (saith 
Satchells)  Walter  Scott  of  Ancmm,  a  natural  son  of  Walter  of  Bucclench.  The 
laird  of  Buccleuch  was  then  a  minor.  The  ballud  seems  to  have  been  popular  ia 
Satchell's  days,  for  he  quotes  it  literally.  He  must,  however,  have  been  mistaken, 
in  this  particular;  for  the  family  of  Scott  of  Ancrum,  in  all  our  books  of  genealogy, 
deduce  their  descent  from  the  Scotts  of  Balweaiie,  In  Fife,  whom  they  represent. 
The  first  of  this  family,  settled  in  Roxburghshire,  is  stated  in  Douglas'  Baronage  to 
have  been  Patrick  Scott,  who  purchased  the  lands  of  Ancrum  in  the  reign  of  James 
VI.  He  therefore  could  not  be  the  Laird's  Wat  of  the  ballad;  indeed,  from  the  list 
of  Border  families  in  1597,  Kerr  appears  to  have  been  proprietor  of  Ancrum  at  the 
date  of  the  ballad.  It  is  plainly  written  in  the  MS.  the  Laird's  Wat,  i.  e.,  the  laird's 
son  Wat:  notwithstanding  which,  it  has  always  hitherto  been  printed  the  Laird 
Wat.  If  Douglas  be  accurate  in  his  genealogy,  the  person  meant  must  be  the 
young  laird  of  Buccleuch,  afterwards  distinguished  for  the  surprise  of  Carlisle 
Castle. — See  Kinmont  Willie,  I  am  the  more  confirmed  in  this  opinion,  because 
Kerr  of  Ancrum  was  at  this  time  a  fugitive,  for  slaying  one  of  the  Rutherfords,  and 
the  tower  of  Anci^m  given  in  keeping  to  the  TumbuUs,  his  hereditary  enemies. 
His  mother,  however,  a  daughter  of  Home  of  Wedderburn,  contrived  to  turn  out 
the  Tnmbulls,  and  possess  herself  of  the  place  by  surpri.se.— Gocfecro/t,  vol.  ii.,  p.  250. 

*  '-Weel  beseen:"  well  appointed.  The  word  occurs  in  i/orte  d'Arthur: — "And 
when  Sir  Percival  saw  this,  he  hied  him  thither,  and  found  the  ship  covered  with 
silke,  more  blacker  than  any  beare;  and  therein  was  a  gentlewoman,  of  great 
beautie.  and  she  was  richly  beseeiie,  that  none  might  be  better." 

•^  This  clan  are  here  mentioned  as  not  being  hail,  or  whole,  because  they  were 
outlawed  or  broken  men.  Indeed,  many  of  them  had  become  Englishmen,  as  the 
phrase  then  went.  Accordin^'ly  we  find,  from  Patten,  that  forty  of  them,  under  the 
Laird  of  Mangertoun,  joined  Somerset,  upon  his  expedition  into  Scotland. — Patten, 
in  Dalyell's  Fragments,  p.  1.  There  was  an  old  alliance  betwixt  the  Eliots  and  Arm- 
strongs, here  alluded  to.  For  the  enterprise  of  the  Armstrongs,  against  their  native 
country,  when  under  English  assurance,  see  Murdin's  State  Papers,  vol.  i.,  p.  43. 
From  which  it  appears,  that,  by  command  of  Sir  Ralph  Evers,  this  clan  ravaged 
almost  the  whole  West  Border  of  Scotland. 

<*  "  Lave : "  remainder. 

« Douglas  of  Cavers,  hereditary  Sheriff  of  Teviotdale,  descended  from  Black 
Archibald,  who  carried  the  standard  of  his  father,  the  Earl  of  Douglas,  at  the  battle 
of  Otterbouine.— See  the  ballad  of  that  name.    {Ante,  p.  424.] 

/  Cranstoun  of  that  ilk,  ancestor  to  Lord  Cranstoun ;  and  Gladstain  of  Gladstains. 

s  These  were  ancient  and  powerful  clans,  residing  chiefly  upon  the  river  Jed. 
Hence,  they  naturally  convoyed  the  town  of  Jedburgh  out.  Although  notorious 
freebooters,  they  were  specially  patronized  by  Morton,  who,  by  their  means,  en- 
deavoured to  counterpoise  the  power  of  Buccleuch  and  Ferniherst,  during  the  civil 
wars  attached  to  the  Queen's  faction.  The  loUowing  fragrnent  of  an  old  ballad  is 
quoted  in  a  letter  from  an  aged  gentleman  of  this  name,  residing  in  New  York,  to  a 
friend  in  Scotland: — 

"  Bauld  Rutherfurd,  he  was  fou  stout, 
Wi'  a'  his  nine  sons  him  round  about; 
He  led  the  town  o'  Jedburgh  out, 
All  bravely  fought  that  day." 


524  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


4     Of  other  clans  I  cannot  tell, 

Because  our  warning  was  not  wide — 
Be  this  our  folks  ha'e  ta'en  the  fell, 

And  planted  down  palliones,"  there  to  bide, 

We  looked  down  the  other  side. 
And  saw  come  breasting  o'er  the  brae, 

With  Sir  John  Forster  for  their  guyde,' 
Full  fifteen  hundred  men  and  mae. 

6    It  grieved  him  sair  that  day,  I  trow, 

With  Sir  George  Hearoune  of  Schipsydehouse;* 
Because  we  were  not  men  enow, 

They  counted  us  not  worth  a  louse. 

Sir  George  was  gentle,  meek,  and  douse, 
But  he  was  hail  and  het  as  fire ; 

And  yet,  for  all  his  cracking  crouse,  ■* 
He  rew'd  the  raid  of  the  Reidswire. 

6  To  deal  with  proud  men  is  but  pain ; 

For  either  must  ye  fight  or  flee. 
Or  else  no  answer  make  again, 

But  play  the  beast,  and  let  them  be. 

It  was  nae  wonder  he  was  hie. 
Had  Tindaill,  Reedsdail,*  at  his  hand, 

With  Cukdaill,  Gladsdaill  on  the  lee, 
And  Hebsrime,-'^and  Northumberland. 

7  Yett  was  our  meeting  meek  eneugh. 

Begun  with  merriment  and  mowes. 
And  at  the  brae,  aboon  the  heugh. 
The  dark  sat  down  to  call  the  rowes.  ^ 

"  "Palliones:''  tents. 

6  Sir  John  Forster,  or,  more  properly,  Forrester,  of  Balmbrough  Abbey,  Warden  of 
the  Middle  Marches  in  1561,  was  deputy-governor  of  Berwick,  and  governor  of  Balm- 
borough  Castle.  He  made  a  great  figure  on  the  Borders,  and  is  said,  on  his  monu- 
ment at  Balmborough  Church,  to  have  possessed  the  office  of  Warden  of  the  Mid 
Marches  for  thirty-seven  years;  indeed,  if  we  can  trust  his  successor,  Carey,  he  re- 
tained the  situation  until  he  became  rather  unfit  for  its  active  duties.  His  family 
ended  in  the  unfortunate  Thomas  Forster,  one  of  the  generals  of  the  Northumbrian 
insurgents  in  1715;  and  the  estate,  being  forfeited,  was  purchased  by  his  uncle.  Lord 
Crewe,  and  devised  for  the  support  of  his  magnificent  charity. 

"  George  Heron  Miles  of  Chipchase  Castle,  probably  the  same  who  was  slain  at  the 
Eeidswire,  wag  Sheriff  of  Northumberland,  13th  Jtlizabeth. 

d  "  Cracking  crouse :  "  talking  big. 

*  These  are  districts,  or  dales,  on  the  English  Border. 

/Mr.  Ellis  suggests,  with  great  probability,  that  this  is  a  mistake,  not  for  Heb- 
bume,  as  the  editor  stated  in  an  earlier  edition,  but  for  Hexham,  which,  with  its 
territory,  formed  a  county  independent  of  Northumberland,  with  which  it  is  here 
ranked. 

B  "Bowes:"  rolls. 


THE   RAID   OF  THE  REIDSWIRE.  625 


And  some  for  kyne,  and  some  for  ewes, 
Call'd  in  of  Dandrie,"  Hob,  and  Jock — 

We  saw  come  marching  o'er  the  knowes, 
Five  hundred  Fennicks  *  in  a  flock, — 

8  With  jack  and  spear,  and  bows  all  bent. 

And  warlike  weapons  at  their  will : 
Although  we  were  na  weel  content, 

Yet,  by  my  troth,  we  fear'd  no  ill. 

Some  gaed  to  drink,  and  some  stude  still, 
And  some  to  cards  and  dice  them  sped ; 

Till  on  ane  Farn stein  they  fyled  a  bill, 
And  he  was  fugitive  and  fled, 

9  Carmichaell  bade  them  speik  out  plainlie, 

And  cloke  no  cause  for  ill  nor  good  ; 
The  other,  answering  him  as  vainlie, 

Began  to  reckon  kin  and  blood : 

He  raise,  and  raxed"  him  where  he  stood. 
And  bade  him  match  him  with  his  marrows ;  "* 

Then  Tindaill  heard  them  reasun  rude, 
And  they  loot  ofi"  a  flight  of  arrows. 

10  Then  was  there  nought  but  bow  and  spear, 

And  every  man  pull'd  out  a  brand  ; 
"  A  Schafton  and  a  Fennick  "  there : 

Gude  Symington  was  slain  frae  hand. 

The  Scotsmen  cried  on  other  to  stand, 
Frae  time  they  saw  John  Robson  slain — 

What  should  they  cry  ?  the  Bang's  command 
Could  cause  no  cowards  turn  again. 

11  Up  rose  the  laird  to  red  the  cumber,® 

Which  would  not  be  for  all  his  boast ; — 
What  could  we  doe  with  sic  a  number — 

Fyve  thousand  men  into  a  host  ? 

Then  Henry  Purdie  proved  his  cost,-'' 
And  very  narrowlie  had  mischief'd  him, 

And  there  we  had  our  warden  lost, 
Wer't  not  the  grit  God  he  relieved  him. 

"  ["  Dandrie : "  Audrew.J 

i  The  Fenwicks;  a  powerful  and  numerous  Northmnberland  clan.  The  original 
seat  of  this  ancient  family  was  at  Fen  wick  tower,  long  since  ruinous;  but,  from  the 
time  of  Henry  IV.,  their  principal  mansion  was  Wallington.  Sir  John  Fenwicli, 
attainted  and  executed  for  treason  in  the  reign  of  William  IIL,  represented  the 
chieftain  of  this  clan. 

"  "Raise,  and  raxed  him : "'  rose,  and  stretched  himself  up, 

d  "  Marrows : "  equals. 

*  "  Red  the  cumber; "  quell  the  tumult 

/  "CoBt: "  signifies  loss  or  risk. 


526  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


12  Another  throw  the  breiks  him  bair, 

Whill  flatlies  to  the  ground  he  fell : 
Than  thought  I  weel  we  had  lost  him  there, 

Into  my  stomach  it  struck  a  knell ! 

Yet  up  he  raise,  the  treuth  to  tell  ye. 
And  laid  about  him  dints  full  dour ; 

His  horsemen  they  raid  sturdilie, 
And  stude  about  him  in  the  stoure. 

13  Then  raise  the  slogan  with  ane  shout — 

"  Fy,  Tindaill,  to  it !  Jedburgh  's  here  !  "  " 
I  trow  he  was  not  half  sae  stout, 

But  anis  his  stomach  was  asteir.' 

With  gun  and  genzie, "  bow  and  spear, 
Men  might  see  mony  a  cracked  crown ! 

But  up  amang  the  merchant  geir, 
1    They  were  as  busy  as  we  were  down. 

14  The  swallow  taill  frae  tackles  flew,"* 

Five  hundredth  flain    into  a  flight. 
But  we  had  pestelets  enew. 

And  shot  among  them  as  we  might, 

With  help  of  God  the  game  gaed  right, 
Frae  time  the  foremost  of  them  fell ; 

Then  o'er  the  knowe,  without  goodnight. 
They  ran  with  mony  a  shout  and  yell. 

15  But  after  they  had  turned  backs,  • 

Yet  Tindail  men  they  turn'd  again. 
And  had  not  been  the  merchant  packs,  f 
There  had  been  mae  of  Scotland  slain. 

"  The  gathering-word  peculiar  to  a  certain  name,  or  set  of  people,  was  termed 
"slogan,  or  "slughom,"  and  was  always  repeated  at  an  onset,  as  well  as  on  many 
other  occasions.  The  custom  of  crying  the  slogan  or  ensenzie,  is  often  alluded  to  in 
all  our  ancient  histories  and  poems.  It  was  usually  the  name  of  the  clan,  or  place 
of  rendezvous,  or  leader.  In  1335.  the  English,  led  by  Thomas  of  Roslyne,  and 
William  Moutray,  assaulted  Aberdeen.  The  former  was  mortally  wounded  in  the 
onset;  and,  as  his  followers  were  pressing  forward,  shouting  "Kosslyne:  Rosslyne!" 
"Cry  Moubray,"  said  the  expiring  chieftain;  "Bosslyne  is  gone!  The  Highland 
clans  had  also  their  appropriate  slogans.  The  Macdonalds  cried  Frioh  (heather) ; 
the  Macphersons,  Craig-Ubh;  the  Grants,  Craig-Elachie ;  and  the  Macfarlanes, 
Loch-Sloy. 

*  "  But,"  &c.:  till  once  his  anger  was  set  up. 

*  "  Genzie :  "  engine  of  war. 

d  The  Scots,  on  this  occasion,  seem  to  have  had  chiefly  firearms ;  the  English  re- 
taining still  their  partiality  for  their  ancient  weapon,  the  longbow.  It  also  appears, 
by  a  letter  from  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  to  Cecil,  that  the  English  Borderers  were  un- 
skilful in  firearms;  or,  as  he  says,  "  our  countrymen  be  not  so  commyng  with  shots 
as  I  woolde  wishe." — See  Murdin's  SiaU  Papers,  vol  i.,  p.  319. 

*  "  Flain:  "  arrows;  hitherto  absurdly  printed  slain. 

/  The  ballad-maker  here  ascribes  the  victory  to  the  real  cause;  for  the  English 
Borderers,  dispersing  to  plunder  the  merchandise,  gave  the  opposite  party  time  to 
recover  from  their  surprise.  It  seems  to  have  been  usual  for  travelling  merchants 
to  attend  Border  meetings,  although  one  would  have  thought  the  kind  of  company 
usually  assembled  there  might  have  deterred  them. 


THE  RAID  OF  THE  BEIDSWIRE.  527 


But,  Jesu!  if  the  folks  were  fain 
To  put  the  bussing  on  their  thies; 

And  so  they  fled,  with  all  theii'  main, 
Down  o'er  the  brae,  like  clogged  bees. 

16  Sir  Francis  Russell  "  ta'en  was  there. 

And  hurt,  as  we  hear  men  rehearse; 
Proud  Wallinton  *  was  wounded  sair, 

Albeit  he  be  a  Fennick  fierce. 

But  if  you  wald  a  souldier  search. 
Among  them  all  were  ta'en  that  night, 

Was  nane  sae  wordie  to  put  in  verse. 
As  CoUingwood,"  that  courteous  knight. 

17  Young  Henry  Schafton,''he  is  hurt; 

A  souldier  shot  him  wi'  a  bow; 
Scotland  has  cause  to  mak'  great  sturt, 

For  laiming  of  the  Laird  of  Mowe.  • 

The  Laird's  Wat  did  weel  indeed; 
His  friends  stood  stoutlie  by  himsell. 

With  little  Gladstain,  gude  in  need, 
For  Gretein-'^  kend  na  gude  be  ill. 

18  The  Sheriffe  wanted  not  gude  will, 

Howbeit  he  might  not  fight  so  fast; 
Beanjeddart,  Hundlie,  and  Hunthill,  ' 
Three,  on  they  laid  weel  at  the  last. 

"  Son  to  the  Earl  of  Bedford,  and  Warden  of  the  East  Marches.  He  was,  at  this 
time,  chamberlain  of  Berwick.  He  was  afterwards  killed  in  a  fray  of  a  similar 
nature,  at  a  Border  meeting  between  the  same  Sir  John  Forster  (father-in-law  to 
Russell)  and  Thomas  Ker  of  Fairnihurst,  a.  d.  1585. 

*  Fen  wick  of  Wallington,  a  powerful  Korthumbrian  chief. 

*  Sir  Cuthbert  Collingwood  of  EssUngton,  Sheriff  of  Northumberland,  the  10th 
and  20th  of  Elizabeth.  Besides  these  gentlemen,  James  Ogle,  and  many  other 
Northumbrians  of  note,  were  made  prisoners.  Sir  George  Heron,  of  Chipchase  and 
Ford,  was  slain,  to  the  great  regret  of  both  parties,  being  a  man  highly  esteemed  by 
the  Scots  as  well  as  the  English.  When  the  prisoners  were  brought  to  Morton,  at 
Dalkeith,  and,  among  other  presents,  received  from  him  some  Scottish  falcons,  one 
of  his  train  observed,  that  the  English  were  nobly  treated,  since  they  got  live  hatcks 
for  dead  herons. — Godscrojt. 

<i  The  Shaftoes  are  an  ancient  family,  settled  at  Bavington,  in  Northtmiberland, 
since  the  time  of  Edward  I.;  of  which  tsir  Cuthbert  Shaftoe,  Sheriff  of  Northumber- 
land in  1795,  is  the  present  representative. 

*  An  ancient  family  on  the  Borders.  The  lands  of  Mowe  are  situated  upon  the 
river  Bowmont,  in  Roxburghshire.  The  family  is  now  represented  by  William  MoUe, 
Esq.,  of  Mains,  who  has  restored  the  ancient  spelling  of  the  name.  The  Laird  of 
Mowe,  here  mentioned,  was  the  only  gentleman  of  note  killed  in  the  skirmish  on  the 
Scottish  side. 

/  Graden,  a  family  of  Kers. 

*  Douglas  of  Beanjeddart,  an  ancient  branch  of  the  House  of  Cavers,  possessing 
property  near  the  junction  of  the  Jed  and  Teviot  Hundlie:  Rutherford  of  Hnndhe 
or  Hundalee,  situated  on  the  Jed  above  Jedburgh.  Hunthill :  the  old  tower  of 
Hunthill  was  situated  about  a  mile  above  Jedburgh.  It  was  the  patrimony  of  an 
ancient  family  of  Rutherfords.  I  suppose  the  person  here  meant  to  be  the  same 
who  is  renowned  in  tradition  by  the  name  of  the  Cock  of  Hunthill.  His  sons  were 
executed  for  March-treason,  or  Border-theft,  along  with  the  lairds  of  Corbet,  Green- 
head,  and  Overton,  a.d.  1588.— Johnstone  s  History,  p.  129. 


528  BALLAD   MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Except  the  horsemen  of  the  guard, 
If  I  could  put  men  to  availe, 

None  stoutlier  stood  out  for  their  laird, 
Nur  did  the  lads  of  Liddisdail. 

19  But  little  harness  had  we  there; 

But  auld  Badreule  "  had  on  a  jack, 
And  did  right  weel,  I  you  declare, 

With  all  his  Trumbills  at  his  back. 

Gude  Edderstane  '  was  not  to  lack, 
Nor  Kirktoun,  Newton,  noble  men ! " 

Thir  's  ^  all  the  specials  I  of  speake, 
By"*  others  that  I  cou'd  not  ken. 

20  Who  did  invent  that  day  of  play. 

We  need  not  fear  to  find  him  soon; 
For  Sir  John  Forster,  I  dare  well  say, 

Made  us  this  noisome  afternoon. 

Not  that  I  speak  preceislie  out. 
That  he  supposed  it  would  be  perril; 

But  pride,  and  breaking  out  of  feuid, 
Gar'd  Tindaill  lads  begin  the  quarrel.* 

*  Sir  Andrew  TumbuU,  of  Bedi-ule,  upon  Eule  Water.  This  old  laird  was  so  noto- 
rious a  thief,  that  the  principal  gentlemen  of  the  clans  of  Hume  and  Kerr  refused  to 
sign  a  bond  of  alliance,  to  which  he,  with  the  Tumbulls  and  Rutherfords,  was  a 
party;  alleging  that  their  proposed  allies  had  stolen  Hume  of  Wedderbum's  cattle. 
The  authority  of  Morton,  however,  compelled  them  to  digest  the  afiront.  The  debate 
(and  a  curious  one  it  is)  may  be  seen  at  length  in  Godscroft,  vol.  i.,  p.  221.  The 
Eutherfords  became  more  lawless  after  having  been  deprived  of  the  countenance  of 
the  court,  for  slaying  the  nephew  of  Forman,  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  who  had 
attempted  to  carry  off  the  heiress  of  Rutherford.  This  lady  was  afterwards  married 
to  James  Stewart  of  Traquair,  son  to  James,  Earl  of  Buchan,  according  to  a  Papal 
bull,  dated  9th  November,  loOi.  By  this  lady  a  great  estate  in  Teviotdale  fell  to  the 
family  of  Traquair,  which  was  sold  by  James,  Earl  of  Traquair,  Lord  High  Treasurer 
of  Scotland,  in  consequence  of  the  pecuniary  difficulties  to  which  he  was  reduced  by 
his  loyal  exertions  in  favour  of  Charles  L 

*  An  ancient  family  of  Eutherfords;  I  believe,  indeed,  the  most  ancient  now 
extant. 

"  "Kirktoun: "  the  parish  of  Kirktoun  belonged,  I  believe,  about  this  time,  to  a 
branch  of  the  Cavers  family;  but  Kirkton  of  Stewartfleld  is  mentioned  in  the  list  of 
Border  clans  in  1-597.  "  Newton : "  this  is  probably  Grinyslaw  of  Little  Newton,  men- 
tioned in  the  said  roll  of  Border  clans. 

d  "Thir's:"  these  are.    "By:"  besides. 

"  In  addition  to  what  has  been  said  of  the  ferocity  of  the  Eeedisdale  and 
Tynedale  men,  may  be  noticed  a  by-law  of  the  incorporated  Merchant^adven- 
turers  of  Newcastle,  in  1564,  which,  alleging  evil  repute  of  these  districts  for 
thefts  and  felonies,  enacts,  that  no  apprentices  shall  be  taken  "proceeding  from 
Buch  leude  and  wicked  progenitors."  This  law,  though  in  desuetude,  suDsisted 
until  177L 


BONNIE   GEORGE  CAMPBELL.  529 


BONNIE  GEOEGE  CAMPBELL. 

From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  44. 

"Is  probably  a  Lament  for  one  of  tbe  adherents  of  the  house  of 
Argyle,  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Glenlivat,  stricken  on  Thursday, 
the  3d  day  of  October,  1594  years.*  Of  this  ballad  Mr.  Finlay  had 
only  recovered  [eight  lines],  which  he  has  given  in  the  preface  to 
his  Scottish  Historical  and  Romantic  Ballads,  p.  xxxiii.,  introduced 
by  the  following  remarks: — 'There  is  another  fragment  still  re- 
maining, which  appears  to  have  belonged  to  a  ballad  of  adventure, 
perhaps  of  real  history.  I  am  acquainted  with  no  poem  of  which 
the  lines,  as  they  stand,  can  be  supposed  to  have  formed  a  part.' " 
— Motherwell. 

A  slightly  diiferent  version  appears  in  Smith's  Scottish  Minstrel, 
vol.  V,  p.  42. 

Mr.  Maidment,  however,  reasons  with  great  plausibility,  that  this 
Lament  eonimeiEorates  the  assassination  of  John  Campbell  of  Calder, 
in  1591.  He  was  either  father  or  brother  to  the  lady  who  perished 
in  the  Castle  of  To^/ie,  ante,  p.  520. — See  Maidment's  Scotish  Ballads, 
&c.,  vol.  i.,  p.  240. 

1  Hie  upon  Highlands, 

And  low  upon  Tay, 
Bonnie  George  Campbell 

Bade  out  on  a  day. 
Saddled  and  bridled 

And  booted  rade  he ; 
Hame  came  his  gude  horse, 

But  never  came  he ! 

2  Out  came  his  auld  mither 

Greetin'  full  sair, 
And  out  came  his  bonnie  bride 

Rivin'  her  hair. 
Saddled  and  bridled 

And  booted  rade  he ; 
Toom  hame  came  the  saddle, 

But  never  came  he ! 

3  "  My  meadow  lies  green, 

And  my  corn  is  unshorn ; 
My  barn  is  to  bigg, 

And  my  babie  's  unborn." 
Saddled  and  bridled 

And  booted  rade  he ; 
Toom  hame  came  the  saddle. 

But  never  came  he  1 

*  Gordon's  Oenealogical  History  of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherland. 

'    2ii 


530  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


THE  BONNIE  EARL  OF  MURRAY. 

From  Ramsay's  Tea-Table  Miscellany,  vol.  ii.,  p.  188. 

"  'The  7  of  Februarij  this  zeire,  1592,  the  Earle  of  Murray  was 
cruelly  murthered  by  the  Earle  of  Huntly,  at  his  house  in  Duni- 
brissell,  in  Fyffeshyre,  and  with  him  Dumbar,  ShrifiFe  of  Murray ; 
it  [was]  given  out,  and  publickly  talked  that  the  Earle  of  Huntly 
was  only  the  instrument  of  perpetratting  this  facte,  to  satisffie  the 
Kinges  jelosie  of  Murray,  quhom  the  Queihe,  more  rashlie  than 
wyslie,  some  few  dayes  before  had  commendit  in  the  Kinges  heiringe, 
with  too  many  epithetts  of  a  proper  and  gallant  man.  The  ressons 
of  these  surmisses  proceidit  from  proclamatione  of  the  Kinges  the  18 
of  Marche  following,  inhibitting  the  younge  Earle  of  Murray  to 
persew  the  Earle  of  Huntly  for  his  father's  slaughter,  in  respecte  he, 
being  wardit  in  the  castell  of  Blacknesse  for  the  same  murther,  was 
willing  to  abyde  his  tryell ;  averring  that  he  had  done  nothing,  bot 
by  the  King's  ma"^'  commissione  :  and  so  was  neither  airt  nor  pairt 
of  the  murther.' — Annates  of  Scotland  by  Sir  James  Balfour,  vol.  i., 
Edin.  1824.  For  other  accounts  of  this  transaction,  see  Spottiswood, 
Moyse's  Memoires,  Calderwood's  History  of  the  Church,  and  Gordon's 
Genealogical  History  of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherland." — Motherwell's 
Minstrelsy,  p.  78. 

If  Dr.  Chambers's  theory  relative  to  "  Young  Waters  "  {ante,  p.  454) 
be  correct,  the  jealousy  characteristic  of  James  I.  of  Scotland  seems 
to  have  coursed  with  full  vigour  in  the  blood  of  his  descendant  James 
the  6th  of  Scotland  and  1st  of  England,  and  led  to  a  tragic  incident 
so  analogous  in  its  alleged  motive,  that  the  former  ballad  has  been 
by  some  supposed  to  refer  to  this  latter  event. 

1  Ye  Highlands,  and  ye  Lawlands, 

Oh,  where  ha'e  ye  been  ? 
They  ha'e  slain  the  Earl  of  Murray, 
And  ha'e  lain  him  on  the  green. 

2  Now  wae  be  to  thee,  Huntly  ! 

And  wherefore  did  you  say  ? 
I  bade  you  bring  him  with  you, 
But  forbade  you  him  to  slay. 

3  He  was  a  braw  gallant, 

And  he  rid  at  the  ring; 
And  the  bonnie  Earl  of  Murray, 
Oh  !  he  might  ha'e  been  a  king. 

4  He  was  a  braw  gallant, 

And  he  play'd  at  the  ba' ; 
And  the  bonnie  Earl  of  Murray 
Was  the  flower  amangr  them  a'. 


THE   EARL   OF  MURE AT.  531 


He  was  a  braw  gallant, 

And  he  play'd  at  the  gluve; 

And  the  bonnie  Earl  of  Murray, 
Oh  I  he  was  the  Queene's  luve. 

Oh !  lang  will  his  ladye 

Look  o'er  the  castle  Downe, 

Ere  she  see  the  Earl  of  Murray 
Come  sounding  thro'  the  towne. 


THE  EARL  OF  MURRAY. 


From  Finlay's  Scottish  Ballads,  voL  ii.,  p.  2L 

"  Is  a  different  ballad  from  the  one  that  precedes  it ;  but,  owing  to 
the  same  peculiarity  of  measure  of  both,  Mr.  Finlay  conjectures, 
which  is  not  at  all  unlikely,  that  they  may  at  one  period  have  been 
united." — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  80. 

' '  It  resembles,  in  its  structure  of  verse,  the  fragment  of  '  Bonnie 
George  Campbell.'  Several  of  the  phrases  employed  are  all  but 
identical." — Dr.  Charles  Mackay's  Ballads  of  Scotland,  p.  161. 

1  "  Open  the  gates, 

And  let  him  come  in ; 
He  is  my  brother  Huntly, 
He'll  do  him  nae  harm." 

2  He's  ben  and  ben, 

And  ben  to  his  bed ; 
And  with  a  sharp  rapier 
He  stabbed  him  dead. 

3  The  ladye  came  down  the  stair, 

Wringing  her  hands : 
"  He  has  slain  the  Earl  of  Murray, 
The  flower  of  Scotland." 

4  But  Huntly  lap  on  his  horse, 

Rade  to  the  King  : 
"  Ye're  welcome  hame,  Huntly; 
And  where  ha'e  ye  been? 

5  "  Where  ha'e  ye  been  ? 

And  how  ha'e  ye  sped?" 
"  I've  killed  the  Earl  of  Murray, 
Dead  in  his  bed." 


532  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


;     "  Foul  fa'  you,  Huntly ; 
And  why  did  ye  so  ? 
You  might  ha'e  ta'en  the  Earl  of  Murray, 
And  saved  his  life  too." 

'     "  Her  bread  it 's  to  bake, 
Her  yill  is  to  brew ; 

My  sister 's  a  widow, 
And  sair  do  I  rue." 

>    "  Her  corn  grows  ripe, 

Her  meadows  grow  green ; 
But  in  bonnie  Dinnibristle 
I  darena  be  seen." 


THE  LAIRD  0'  LOQIE. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  128. 

"  An  edition  of  this  ballad  is  cuiTent,  under  the  title  of '  The  Laird 
of  Ochiltree ; '  but  the  editor,  since  the  first  publication  of  this  work, 
has  been  fortunate  enough  to  recover  the  following  more  correct  and 
ancient  copy,  as  recited  by  a  gentleman  residing  near  Biggar.  It  agrees 
more  nearly,  both  in  the  name  and  in  the  circumstances,  with  the  real 
fact,  than  the  printed  ballad  of  Ochiltree. 

"  In  the  year  1592,  Francis  Stuart,  Earl  of  Both  well,  was  agitating 
his  frantic  and  ill-concerted  attempts  against  the  person  of  James 
VI.,  whom  he  endeavoured  to  surprise  in  the  Palace  of  Falkland. 
Through  the  emulation  and  private  rancour  of  the  courtiers,  he  found 
adherents  even  about  the  king's  person ;  among  whom,  it  seems,  was 
the  hero  of  our  ballad,  whose  history  is  thus  narrated  in  that  curious 
and  valuable  chronicle,  of  which  the  first  part  has  been  pubUshed 
under  the  title  of  '  The  Historic  of  king  James  the  Sext : ' — 

"  '  In  this  close  tyme  it  fortunit,  that  a  gentleman,  callit  Weymis 
of  Logye,  being  also  in  credence  at  court,  was  delatit  as  a  traifekker 
with  Frances  erle  Bothwell ;  and  he,  beiug  examinat  before  king  and 
counsall,  confessit  his  accusation  to  be  of  veritie,  that  sundry  tymes 
he  had  spokin  with  him,  expresslie  aganis  the  king's  inhibitioun 
proclamit  in  the  contrare,  whilk  confession  he  subscryvit  with  his 
hand ;  and  because  the  event  of  this  mater  had  sic  a  success,  it  sail 
also  be  praysit  be  my  pen,  as  a  worthie  turne,  proceiding  from  honest 
chest  love  and  charitie,  whilk  suld  on  na  wayis  be  obscurit  from  the 
posteritie,  for  the  gude  example ;  and  therefore  I  have  thought  gude 
to  insert  the  same  for  a  perpetual  memorie. 

"  'Queen  Anne,  our  noble  princess,  was  servit  with  dyverss  gentil- 
wemen  of  hir  awin  cuntrie,  and  naymelie  with  ane  caUit  Mres  Mar- 
garet Twynstoun,*  to  whome  this  gentilman,  Weymes  of  Logye,  bure 
great  honest  affection,  tending  to  the  godlie  band  of  marriage,  the 
whilk  was  honesthe  requytet  be  the  said  gentilwoman,  yea  even  in 
his  greatest  mister ;  t  for  howsone  she  understude  the  said  gentilman 
*  Twynlace,  according  to  Spottiswoode.  f  "  Mister: ' '  necessity. 


THE  LAIRD   O'   LOGIE.  533 


to  be  in  distress,  and  apperantlie  be  his  confession  to  be  puneist  to 
the  death,  and  she  having  prevelege  to  ly  in  the  queynis  chalmer  that 
same  verie  night  of  his  accusation,  whare  the  king  was  also  reposing 
that  same  night,  she  came  furth  of  the  dure  prevelie,  bayth  the 
prencis  being  then,  at  quyet  rest,  and  past  to  the  chalmer,  whare  the 
said  gentilman  was  put  in  custodie  to  certayne  of  the  garde,  and 
commandit  thayme  that  immediateUe  he  sould  be  broght  to  the  king 
and  queyne,  whereunto  they,  geving  sure  credence,  obeyet.  But 
howsone  she  was  cum  bak  to  the  chalmer  dur,  she  desyrit  the 
watches  to  stay  till  he  sould  cum  furth  agayne,  and  so  she  closit 
the  dur,  and  convoyit  the  gentilman  to  a  windo',  whare  she  ministrat 
a  long  corde  unto  him  to  convoy  himself  doun  upon ;  and  sa,  be  hir 
gude  cheritable  help,  he  happelie  escapit  be  the  subteltie  of  love. '  " 
—Scott. 

["The  keepers,  waiting  upon  his  return,  stayed  there  till  the  morning, 
and  then  found  themselves  deceived.  This,  with  the  manner  of  the 
escape,  ministered  great  occasion  of  laughter;  and,  not  many  days 
after,  the  king  being  pacified  by  the  queen's  means,  he  was  pardoned, 
and  took  to  wife  the  gentlewoman  who  had,  in  this  sort,  hazarded 
her  credit  for  his  safety." — Spottiswoode.  ' 

Stanza  3  is  added  from  the  copy  as  reprinted  by  Motherwell.  (See 
note  to  text.) 

The  version  referred  to  above,  under  the  title  of  "The  Young  Laird 
of  Ochiltrie,"  follows. 

Mr.  Motherwell  mentions  that  "there  is  another  set  of  it  to  be 
found  in  stall  prints,  which  has  a  chance  of  being  the  original  ballad,  as 
composed  at  the  time  of  the  Laird's  deliverance  in  1592. " — Minstrelsy, 
p.  Ixix.,  note  20. 

The  same  diligent  writer,  referring  to  "the  writings  of  the  early 
English  Dramatists,"  and  to  the  "numberless  snatches  of  ancient  ditties 
introduced"  by  them  in  their  writings,  states  : — "  In  'The  Knight  of 
the  Burning  Pestle,'  Old  Merrythought  gives  this  verse,  evidently  a 
portion  of  a  Scottish  song,  both  in  subject  and  style  ;  perhaps  it  may 
have  belonged  to  some  edition  of  the  popular  ballad  of  '  The  Laird  of 
Logic : ' — 

'She  cares  not  for  her  mammy,  nor 
She  cares  not  for  her  daddy,  for 

She  is,  she  is,  she  is 
My  lord  of  Lowgave's  lassie.' " — Minstrelsy,  p.  xl.] 

1  I  WILL  sing,  if  ye  will  hearken, 

If  ye  will  hearken  unto  me  ; 
The  king  has  ta'en  a  poor  prisoner. 
The  wanton  laird  o'  young  Logie. 

2  Young  Logie 's  laid  in  Edinburgh  chapel ; 

Carmichael  's  the  keeper  o'  the  key ;  * 
And  may  Margaret 's  lamenting  sair, 
All  for  the  love  of  young  Logie. 

*  Sir  .John  Carmichael  of  Carmichael,  the  hero  of  the  ballad  called  "The  Eo.id  of 
the  Eeidswire,"  was  appointed  captain  of  the  king's  guard  in  1588,  and  usually  ;:'.d 
the  keeping  of  state  criminals  of  rank. 


634  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND, 


[May  Margaret  sits  in  the  queen's  bow'r, 
Kincking  her  fingers  ane  be  ane, 

Cursing  the  day  that  e'er  she  was  born, 
Or  that  she  e'er  heard  o'  Logie's  name.*] 

"  Lament,  lament  na,  may  Margaret, 
And  of  your  weeping  let  me  be ; 

For  ye  maun  to  the  king  himsel'. 
To  seek  the  life  of  young  Logie." 


r, 


May  Margaret  has  kilted  her  green  cleiding, 
And  she  has  curled  back  her  yellow  hair ; 

"  If  I  canna  get  young  Logie's  life. 
Farewell  to  Scotland  for  evermair." 

6  When  she  came  before  the  king, 

She  knelt  [down]  lowly  on  her  knee ; 

"Oh,  what's  the  matter,  may  Margaret? 

And  what  needs  all  this  courtesie  ?  " 

7  "A  boon,  a  boon,  my  noble  liege, 

A  boon,  a  boon,  I  beg  of  thee  ! 
And  the  first  boon  that  I  come  to  crave, 
Is  to  grant  me  the  life  of  young  Logie." 

S     "  Oh  na,  oh  na,  may  Margaret, 

Forsooth,  and  so  it  maunna  be ;  • 

For  all  the  gowd  of  fair  Scotland 

Shall  not  save  the  life  of  young  Logie." 

9     But  she  has  stown  the  king's  redding-kaim,")* 
Likewise  the  queen  her  wedding-knife, 
And  sent  the  tokens  to  Carmichael, 
To  cause  young  Logie  get  his  life. 

10  She  sent  him  a  purse  of  the  red  gowd. 

Another  of  the  white  monie  ; 
She  sent  him  a  pistol  for  each  hand, 
And  bade  him  shoot  when  he  gat  free. 

11  When  he  came  to  the  tolbooth  stair. 

There  he  let  his  volley  flee ; 
It  made  the  king  in  his  chamber  start, 
E'en  in  the  bed  where  he  might  be. 

•  ["The  third  stanza  in  the  present  copy  was  obtained  from  recitation;  and,  as  it 
describes  very  naturally  the  agitated  behaviour  of  a  person  who,  like  May  Margaret, 
had  high  interests  at  stake,  it  was  considered  worthy  of  being  preserved." — Mother- 
well, Minstrelsy,  p.  56.] 

t  "Bedding  kaim: "  comb  for  the  hair. 


THE  YOUNG  LAIED   OF  OCHILTRIE.  535 


12  "  Gae  out,  gae  out,  my  merry  men  all. 

And  bid  Carmichael  come  speak  to  me ; 
For  I'll  lay  my  life  the  pledge  of  that, 
That  yon 's  the  shot  of  young  Logie." 

13  When  Carmichael  came  before  the  king, 

He  fell  low  down  upon  his  knee ; 
The  very  first  word  that  the  king  spake, 

Was — "  Where 's  the  laird  o'  young  Logie  ?  " 

14  Carmichael  turn'd  him  round  about, 

(I  wot  the  tear  blinded  his  e'e,) 
"  There  came  a  token  frae  your  grace. 
Has  ta'en  away  the  laird  frae  me." 

15  "  Hast  thou  play'd  me  that,  Carmichael? 

And  hast  thou  play'd  me  that  ?  "  quoth  he ; 
"  The  morn  the  justice-court 's  to  stand, 
And  Logie's  place  ye  maun  supplie." 

16  Carmichael 's  awa  to  Margaret's  bow'r, 

E'en  as  fast  as  he  may  dree : 
"  Oh,  if  young  Logie  be  within, 
Tell  him  to  come  and  speak  with  me ! " 

17  May  Margaret  turn'd  her  round  about, 

(I  wot  a  loud  [loud]  laugh  laugh'd  she,) 
'•  The  egg  is  chipp'd,  the  bird  is  flown, 
Ye'U  see  nae  mair  of  young  Logie." 

18  The  ane  is  shipp'd  at  the  pier  of  Leith, 

The  other  at  the  Queen's  Ferrie ; 
[And  may  Margaret  has  gotten  her  love,*] 
The  wanton  laird  of  young  Logie. 


THE  YOUNG  LAIRD  OF  OCHILTRIE. 

From  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  21. 

Dr.  Chambers,  in  his  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  80,  gives  a  version  collated 
from  the  following  and  the  preceding ;  but,  notwithstanding  some  ad- 
mixture of  his  own,  the  result  is  not  very  satisfactory,  as  it  makes, 
in  several  instances,  a  somewhat  confused  jumble. 

1     Oh,  listen,  gude  people,  to  my  tale. 
Listen  to  what  I  tell  to  thee; 
The  king  has  taken  a  poor  prisoner, 

The  wanton  laird  of  Ochiltrie. 
•  [Slightly  altered,  in  the  interest  of  truth  and  delicacy.] 


536  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


When  news  came  to  our  gudely  queen, 
She  sigh'd,  and  said  right  mournfuUie,- 

"  Oh,  what  will  come  of  Ladye  Marg'ret, 
Wha  bears  sic  love  to  Ochiltrie?" 

Ladye  Marg'ret  tore  her  yellow  hair, 
When  as  the  queen  told  her  the  same : 

"  I  wish  that  I  had  ne'er  been  born, 
Nor  e'er  had  known  Ochiltrie's  name." 


that  maunna  be ; 
i,„ . 


4     "  Fie,  na !  "  quoth  the  queen,  "  that  m 
Fie,  na !  [fle,  na !]  that  maunna  be ; 
I'll  find  ye  out  a  better  way 
To  save  the  life  of  Ochiltrie." 

6     The  queen  she  trippit  up  the  stair, 
And  lowly  knelt  upon  her  knee : 
"  The  first  boon  which  I  come  to  crave, 
Is  the  life  of  gentle  Ochiltrie." 

6  "  Oh,  if  you  had  ask'd  me  castles  or  tow'rs, 

I  wou'd  ha'e  gi'en  them,  twa  or  three; 
But  all  the  money  in  fair  Scotland 
Winna  buy  the  life  of  Ochiltrie." 

7  The  queen  she  trippit  down  the  stair, 

And  down  she  gaed  right  mournfullie: 
"  It 's  all  the  money  in  fair  Scotland 
Winna  buy  the  life  of  Ochiltrie." 

8  Ladye  Marg'ret  tore  her  yellow  hair, 

When  as  the  queen  told  her  the  same: 
"  I'll  take  a  knife  and  end  my  life. 
And  be  in  the  grave  as  soon  as  him." 

9  "  Ah  !  fie,  na !  fie,  na !  "  quoth  the  queen ; 

"  Fie,  na!  fie,  na!  this  maunna  be; 
I'll  set  ye  on  a  better  way 
To  save  the  life  of  Ochiltrie." 

10  The  queen  she  slippit  up  the  stair, 

And  she  gaed  up  right  privatlie, 

And  she  has  stolen  the  prison  keys, 

And  gane  and  set  free  Ochiltrie. 

11  And  she 's  gi'en  him  a  purse  of  gowd, 

And  another  of  [the]  white  money, 
She  's  gi'en  him  twa  pistols  by  his  side, 

Saying  to  him — "  Shoot  when  ye  win  free." 


■WILLIE  MACINTOSH;    OR,  THE   BURNING  OF  AUCHINDOUN.     537 


12  And  when  he  came  to  the  queen's  window, 

Whaten  a  joyful  shout  ga'e  he ! 
"  Peace  be  to  our  royal  queen. 
And  peace  be  in  her  companiel" 

13  "  Oh,  whaten  a  voice  is  that?  "  quoth  the  king, 

"  Whaten  a  voice  is  that?  "  quoth  he ; 
"  Whaten  a  voice  is  that?"  quoth  the  king, — 
"  I  think  it 's  the  voice  of  Ochiltrie. 

14  "  Go  call  to  me  my  gaolers  all, 

Callthem  by  thirty  and  by  three; 

For  on  the  morn,  at  twelve  o'clock, 

It 's  hangit  shall  they  ilk  ane  be." 

15  "  Oh,  didna  ye  send  your  keys  to  us? 

Ye  sent  them  be  thirty  and  be  three; 
And  with  them  sent  a  straight  command, 
To  set  at  large  young  Ochiltrie." 

16  "  Ah,  na !  fie,  na ! "  quoth  the  queen, 

"  Fie,  my  dear  love,  this  maunna  be ; 
And  if  ye're  gaun  to  hang  them  all. 
Indeed,  ye  maun  begin  with  me." 

17  The  ane  was  shippit  at  the  pier  of  Leith, 

The  other  at  the  Queensferrie ; 
And  now  the  ladye  has  gotten  her  love. 
The  winsome  laird  of  Ochiltrie. 


WILLIE  MACINTOSH;  OE,  THE  BURNING  OF 
AUCHINDOUN. 

Mr.  Finlay  first  published  four  stanzas  of  this  ballad  in  his  Scottish 
Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  97. 

Other  four  stanzas  were  afterwards  published  by  Mr.  Laing,  in 
The  Thistle  of  Scotland,  p.  106. 

The  same  number  of  stanzas  of  a  third  version  were  copied  by  Mr. 
Whitelaw,  in  1854,  from  "an  Aberdeen  newspaper;"  in  which,  he 
states,  they  appeared  "  about  thirty  years  ago,  with  the  following 
note  prefixed  : — '  In  1592  the  Mackintoshes,  or  clan  Chattan,  having 
offended  Gordon  of  Huntly  and  Strathbogie,  to  whom  they  were 
vassals,  the  latter  vowed  vengeance,  which  the  former  fearing, 
requested  their  chief  to  proceed  to  Auchindoun  Castle,  the  residence 
of  their  offended  superior,  and  sue  for  peace.  On  his  arrival  there, 
Gordon  was  unfortunately  from  home  :  he  was,  however,  introduced 
to  his  lady,  to  whom  he  told  on  what  errand  he  had  come,  and 
pleaded  for  her  intercession  ;  but  she  told  him  that  she  was  sure  her 


538  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


lord  would  not  be  satisfied  until  the  head  of  the  chief  of  the  clan 
Chattan  was  fixed  on  the  castle  gate.  The  chief  despising  her  threat, 
and  bowing  scornfully  low  before  he  should  depart,  she  snatched  a 
sword  from  the  wall,  and  severed  his  head  from  his  body.  His  clan, 
on  hearing  of  the  "horrid  deed,"  assembled  under  his  son  and 
successor,  and  marched  to  Auchindoun  Castle  in  the  dead  of  night, 
which  they  plundered  and  set  on  fire.  The  lady  made  her  escape, 
but  several  of  the  inmates  perished  in  the  flames.  The  ruins  of  this 
baronial  residence  are  still  to  be  seen  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Fiddich,  in  Banffshire.'" — Whitelaw's  Book  of  Scottiish  Ballads, 
p.  248. 

Stanza  1  is  from  Finlay  ;  2  and  3  are  nearly  the  same  in  all  three  ; 
4  is  from  Laing,  and  5  from  Whitelaw.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
Auchindoun  was  the  seat  of  Adam  o'  Gordon. 

.1     As  I  came  in  by  Fiddich-side, 
In  a  May  morning, 
I  met  Willie  Macintosh 

An  hour  before  the  dawning. 

2  "  Turn,  "Willie  Macintosh, 

Turn,  turn,  I  bid  ye ; 
If  ye  burn  Auchindoun, 
Huutly  he  will  head  ye." 

3  "  Head  me,  or  hang  me, 

That  winna  fley  me; 
I'll  bum  Auchindoun, 
Ere  the  life  lea'e  me." 

4  Coming  o'er  Cairn  Croom, 

And  looking  down,  man, 
I  saw  Willie  Macintosh 
Burn  Auchindoun,  man. 

5  Light  was  the  mirk  hour 

At  the  day  dawning, 
For  Auchindoun  was  in  a  flame 
Ere  the  cock  crawing. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BALKINNES. 

The  Catholic  Earls  of  Huntly  and  Errol,  with  their  associates  and 
retainers  in  the  North — then,  as  it  seems,  in  the  interest  of  and  sub- 
sidized by  gold  from  Spain — were  opposed  with  all  the  bitterness  of 
religious  and  party  rancour,  by  the  adherents  of  the  Kirk,  then 
dominant  at  Court,  and  whose  "  avowed  object  was  to  depose  Anti- 
christ" and  to  spoil  the  Egyptians,  or  Catholic  lords,  in  the  interest 
of  the  Kirk,  the  English  alliance,  and,  it  may  be,  with  some  view, 
on  the  part  of  many,  to  their  own  special  benefit. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BALRINNES.  639 


"On  the  21st  of  September,  1594,  Argyle,  having  received  the 
royal  commission  to  pursue  Huntly  and  his  associates,  set  out  on  his 
expedition  at  the  head  of  a  force  of  six  thousand  men."  This  force 
consisted,  for  the  most  part,  of  hastily  levied  and  poorly  armed  High- 
landers. But  Argyle,  who  was  only  nineteen,  ardent,  and  eager  to 
revenge  the  murder  of  his  brother-in-law,  "  the  bonnie  Earl  of 
Murray,"  pressed  forward  to  meet  Huntly;  "to  whom  he  sent  a 
message,  that  within  three  days  he  meant  to  sleep  at  Strathbogie. 
To  this  taunting  challenge  Huntly  replied,  that  Argyle  should  be 
welcome :  he  would  himself  be  his  porter,  and  open  all  the  gates  of 
his  palace  to  his  young  friend  ;  but  he  must  not  take  it  amiss  if  he 
rubbed  his  cloak  against  Argyle's  plaid  ere  they  parted."  Argyle's 
army — augmented  by  a  rabble  of  "  ra-scals  and  pokebearers,"  as  they 
are  designated  by  Bowes,  Queen  Elizabeth's  representative — num- 
bered about  ten  thousand  men.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Catholic 
earls  were  unable  to  muster  more  than  fifteen  hundred,  or  at  most 
two  thousand  men;  "but  of  these  the  greater  part  were  resolute  and 
gallant  gentlemen;  all  well  mounted  and  fully  armed;  and  among 
them  some  officers  of  veteran  experience,  who  had  served  in  the  Low 
Countries.  They  had,  besides,  six  pieces  of  ordnance,  which  were 
placed  under  the  charge  of  Captain  Andrew  Gray,  who  afterwards 
commanded  the  English  and  Scottish  auxiliaries  in  Bohemia. "  * 

Having  thus  stated  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the  battle,  the 
ballad  itself  may  be  left  to  teU  its  own  tale,  as  to  the  incidents  of  the 
light. 

The  action  is  variously  styled  "The  Battle  of  Balrinnes,"  of 
"  Glenlivet,"  or  "  Strathaven."  It  was  fought  on  the  3d  of  October, 
1594. 

Two  coydes  of  an  edition  printed  at  Edinburgh,  in  1681,  I2mo,  exist 
one  in  Pepys'  collection  (ante,  p.  181),  and  the  other  in  the  Advocates' 
Library. 

A  copy,  probably  printed  from  the  latter,  appears  in  '^Scottish 
Poems,  of  the  XVI.  Century,  Edinburgh,  1801 ;  one  of  the  numerous 
useful  publications,  illustrative  of  Scottish  history,  edited  by  Mr. 
Dalzell,  Advocate." 

The  first  four  stanzas  appear  in  Jamieson's  Popular  Ballads,  vol.  ii., 
p.  144. 

Another  version,  obviously  printed  from  a  stall  copy,  occurs  in  Scarce 
Ancient  Ballads,  p.  29,  Aberdeen,  1822. 

Stanza  3,  from  Jamieson's,  and  stanzas  27,  33,  34,  39,  and  40,  from 
Laing's  versions,  as  here  inserted  within  brackets,  do  not  occur  in 
Dalzell's  copy.  The  orthography  has  been  modernized,  and  a  few 
obvious  errors  corrected. 

1     Frae  Dunnoter  to  Aberdeen, 
I  rase  and  took  the  way, 
Believing  weel  that  it  had  been 
Not  half  ane  hour  to  day. 

*  Tytler's  History  of  Scotland,  a.  d.  1591. 


540  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


The  lift  was  clad  with  cloudis  gray, 
And  ower  maskit  was  the  moon, 

Which  me  deceived  where  I  lay, 
And  made  me  rise  ower  soon. 

On  Towie  Mount  I  met  a  man 

Well  graithed  in  his  gear ; 
Quoth  I — "  What  news?"  then  he  began 

To  tell  a  fitt  of  weir 
Quoth  he — "  The  ministers,  I  fear, 

A  bloody  browst  have  brewn; 
For  yesterday,  withouten  mair, 

On  ane  hill  at  Stradown, 

["  I  saw  three  lords  in  battle  fight 

Right  furiously  awhile, 
Huntlie  and  Errol,  as  they  bight, 

Were  both  against  Argyle. 
Turn  back  with  me  and  ride  a  mile, 

And  I  shall  make  it  kenn'd, 
How  they  began  the  form  and  style, 

And  of  the  battle's  end."] 

Then  I,  as  any  man  would  be, 

Desirous  was  to  know 
Mair  of  that  tale  he  told  to  me, 

The  which,  he  said,  he  saw. 
By  then  the  day  began  to  daw. 

And  back  with  him  I  rade ; 
Then  he  began  the  sooth  to  show. 

And  on  this  wise  he  said  : — 

MacCallen  More  came  frae  the  west, 

With  mony  a  bow  and  brand ; 
To  waste  the  Rhinnes  he  thought  best. 

The  Earl  of  Huntlie's  land. 
He  swore  that  none  shou'd  him  gainstand, 

Except  that  he  were  fey, 
But  all  shou'd  be  at  his  command, 

That  dwelt  be  north  of  Tay. 

Then  Huntlie,  to  prevent  that  peril, 

Directit  hastilie. 
Unto  the  noble  Earl  of  Errol 

Besought  him  for  supplie. 
Wha  said — "  It  is  my  dutie 

For  to  give  Huntlie  support, 
For  if  he  loses  Strathbogie, 

My  Slaines  *  will  be  ill  hurt. 

*  Slaines  Castle,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  ErroL 


THE  BATTLE   OF  BALRINNES.  541 


7  ''  Therefore  I  hald  the  subject  vain, 

Wou'd  reave  us  of  our  right, 
First  shall  one  of  us  be  slain. 

The  other  tak'  the  flight. 
Suppose  Argyle  be  much  of  might, 

By  force  of  Hielandmen ; 
We 's  be  a  mote  into  his  sight, 

Or  he  pass  hame  again. 

8  ''  Be  blithe,  my  merry  men,  be  blithe, 

Argyle  shall  have  the  worse, 
Gif  he  into  this  country  kythe,* 

I  houp  in  God  his  cross  !  " 
Then  leap'd  this  lord  upon  his  horse, 

And  with  warlike  troop  frae  Turray,  f 
To  meet  with  Huntlie  and  his  force, 

Bade  to  Elgin  in  the  Murray. 

9  The  same  night  that  those  two  lords  met, 

I  wot  'twou'd  be  thought  long; 
To  tell  you  all,  (I  have  forgot,) 

The  mirth  was  them  among. 
Then  pipers  play'd,  and  songsters  sang. 

To  glad  the  merry  host; 
Wha  fear'd  not  the  foemen  strong, 

Nor  yet  Argyle  bis  boast. 

10  They  for  two  days  wou'd  not  remove. 

But  blithely  drank  the  wine ; 
Some  to  his  lass,  some  to  his  love. 

Some  to  his  ladye  fine. 
And  he  that  thought  not  for  to  blyne,J 

His  mistress'  token  tak's. 
They  kiss'd  it  first,  and  set  it  syne 

Upon  their  helms  and  jacks. 

11  They  pass'd  their  time  right  wantonlie, 

Till  word  came  at  the  last, 
Argyle,  with  ane  great  armie, 

Approached  wond'rous  fast. 
Then  frae  the  toun  those  Barons  pass'd, 

And  Huntlie  to  them  said, — 
"Gude  gentlemen,  we  will  us  cast 

To  Strathbogie,  but  beed."§ 

*  "Kythe:  "  is  found. 

1  "Turray:  "  Turriff,  in  Aberdeenshire. 

t  "Blyne: "  stop.    Seems  to  mean  here,  not  to  shrink  in  the  battle. 

5  "  Beed: "  without  delay. 


542  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


12  When  they  unto  Strathbogie  came, 

To  council  soon  they  gaed; 
There  to  see  how  things  might  frame,* 

For  they  had  meikle  need. 
They  vowed  them  unto  a  deed, 

As  kirkmen  cou'd  devise, 
Syne  pray'd  that  they  might  find  good  speed 

Of  their  gude  enterprise. 

13  Then  every  man  himself  did  arm, 

To  meet  MacCallen  More, 
Unto  Strathdoun,  who  did  great  harm 

The  Wedensday  before. 
As  lions  do  poor  lambs  devour, 

With  bluidie  teeth  and  nails. 
They  brent  the  biggings,  took  the  store, 

Syne  slew  the  people's  sells. 

14  Beside  all  this  hie  crueltie. 

He  said,  ere  he  should  cease. 
The  standing-stones  of  Strathbogie 

Should  be  his  pallion's  place. 
But  Huntlie  said — "  With  God  his  grace, 

First  we  shall  fight  them  ones. 
Perchance  that  they  may  tak'  the  chase, 

Ere  they  come  to  the  stones ! " 

15  Those  Lords  kept  on  at  afternoon 

With  all  their  weirmen  wight, 
Then  sped  up  to  the  Cabrach  soon, 

Where  they  bade  all  that  night. 
Upon  the  mom,  when  day  was  light, 

They  raise  and  made  them  boune, 
Intil  ane  castle  that  stood  on  height; 

They  called  it  Auchindoun. 

16  Beside  that  castle,  on  a  croft, 

They  stended  pallions  there; 
Then  spak'  a  man  that  had  been  oft 

In  jeopardie  of  weir: 
"  My  Lords,  your  foes  they  are  to  fear, 
'       Though  we  were  never  so  stout, 
Therefore  command  some  men  of  weir 

To  watch  the  rest  about." 

17  By  this  was  done,  some  gentlemen. 

Of  noble  kin  and  bluid. 
To  council  with  those  Lords  began, 
Of  matters  to  conclude: 

*  "Frame:  "  take  form. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BALRINNES.  543 


For  weel  eneugh  they  understood 

The  matter  was  of  weight, 
They  hadna  so  manie  men  of  good, 

In  battle  for  to  fight. 

18  The  firstin  man  in  council  spak', 

Good  Errol,  it  was  he ; 
Who  says — "  I  will  the  vanguard  tak', 

And  leading  upon  me. 
My  Lord  Huntlie,  come  succour  me, 

When  ye  see  me  opprest; 
For  frae  the  field  I  will  not  flee, 

So  lang  as  I  may  last." 

19  Thereat  some  Gordons  waxed  wraith, 

And  said  he  did  them  wrong: 
To  let  this  lord  then  they  were  laith, 

First  to  the  battle  gang. 
The  meeting  that  was  them  among, 

Was  no  men  that  it  heard ; 
But  Huntlie,  with  ane  troop  full  strong, 

Bade  into  the  rear-guard. 

20  This  was  the  number  of  their  force, 

Those  Lords  to  battle  led; 
Ane  thousand  gentlemen  on  horse. 

And  some  footmen  they  had; 
Three  hundred  that  shot  arrows  braid, 

Four  score  that  hagbuts  bore ; 
This  was  the  number  that  they  had. 

Of  footmen  with  them  sure. 

21  Thus  with  their  noble  chivalry 

They  marched  into  the  field ; 
Argyle,  with  ane  great  armie. 

Upon  ane  hill  ta'en  bield; 
Abiding  them  with  spear  and  shield, 

With  bullets,  darts,  and  bows; 
The  men  could  weel  their  weapons  wield. 

To  meet  them  was  nae  mows.* 

22  When  they  so  near  other  were  come, 

That  ilk  man  saw  his  foe, 
"  Go  to,  essay  the  game,"  said  some; 
But  Captain  Ker  f  said,  "  No  : 

*  See  "Battle  of  Harlaw,''  stanza  19,  line  5,  ante,  p.  448. 

t  "Captain  Ker."  This  personage  is  usually  supposed  to  be  the  pei-petrator  of 
the  Towie  tragedy,  but  this  identification  seems  doubtful,  as  the  latter  is  named 
"Andrew,"  while  the  " Captain  Ker  "  here  referred  to  is  named,  by  Tytler,  "Thomas." 


544  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


First  let  the  guns  before  us  go, 
That  they  may  break  the  order." 

Quoth  baith  the  Lords — "  Let  it  be  so,     i 
Or  ever  we  gae  farder."  * 

23  Then  Andrew  Gray,  upon  ane  horse, 

Betwixt  the  battles  rade, 
Making  the  sign  of  hally  cross, 

"/n  manus  tiias"  he  said. 
He  lighted  there  the  guns  to  lead, 

Till  they  came  to  the  rest ; 
Then  Captain  Ker  unto  him  sped. 

And  bade  him  shoot  in  haste. 

24  "I  will  not  shoot,"  quoth  Andrew  Gray, 

"  Till  they  come  o'er  yon  hill ; 
We  ha'e  an  ower  gude  cause  this  day, 

Thro'  misguidings  to  spill. 
Go  back,  and  bid  our  men  bide  still. 

Till  they  come  to  the  plain ; 
Then  shall  my  shooting  do  them  ill ; 

I  will  not  shoot  in  vain." 

25  "  Shoot  up,  shoot  up  ! "  quoth  Captain  Ker, 

"  Shoot  up  to  our  comfort!" 
The  firstin  shot  [it]  was  too  near, 

It  lighted  all  too  short. 
The  nextin  shot  their  foes  [it]  hurt. 

It  lighted  wond'rous  weel : 
Quoth  Andrew  Gray — "  I  see  ane  sport. 

When  they  begin  to  reel! 

26  "  Go  to,  good  mates,  and  'say  the  game, 

Yon  folks  are  in  a  fray; 
Let  see  how  we  can  mell  with  them, 

Into  their  disarray; 
Go,  go,  it  is  not  time  to  stay, 

All  for  my  benison ; 
Save  none  this  day,  ye  may  gar  die, 

Till  we  the  field  ha'e  won!" 

27  [Then  awful  Errol  he  'gan  say: 

"  Good  fellows,  follow  me ; 
I  hope  it  shall  be  ours  this  day, 

Or  else  therefore  to  dee. 
Tho'  they  in  number  many  be. 

Set  on  withouten  words; 
Let  ilk  brave  fellow  brake  his  tree, 

And  then  pursue  with  swords."] 

•  "Farder: "  farther. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  EALBINNES.  545 


28  Then  Errol  hasted  to  the  height 

Where  he  did  battle  bide, 
With  him  went  Auchindoun  and  Gight, 

And  Bonnitoun  by  his  side; 
Where  many  gentlemen  did  with  him  bide, 

Whose  praise  should  not  be  smoor'd;  * 
But  Captain  Ker,  that  was  their  guide. 

Hade  aye  before  my  Lord. 

29  They  were  not  many  men  of  weir, 

But  they  were  wondrous  true  ; 
With  hagbuts,  pistols,  bow,  and  spear, 

They  did  their  foes  pursue ; 
Where  bullets,  darts,  and  arrows  flew. 

As  thick  as  hail  or  rain, 
Whilk  many  hurt ;  and  some  they  slew, 

Of  horse  and  gentlemen. 

30  Huntlie  made  haste  to  succour  him. 

And  charged  furiouslie. 
Where  many  [ane]  man's  sight  grew  dim, 

The  shots  so  thick  did  flee ; 
Whilk  gar'd  right  many  doughty  dee,f 

Of  some  on  every  side ; 
Argyle  with  his  tald  J  host  did  flee. 

But  MacLean  §  did  still  abide. 

81     MacLean  had  on  a  habergeon, 

Ilk  Lord  had  on  ane  jack. 
Together  fiercely  are  they  run, 

With  many  a  gun's  crack. 
The  splinters  of  their  spears  they  brak' 

Flew  up  into  the  air, 
And  bore  doun  many  on  their  back, 

Again  raise  never  mair. 

32     "  Alace,  I  see  ane  sorry  sight!  " 

Said  the  Laird  of  MacLean; 
"  Our  feeble  folks  have  ta'en  the  flight, 

And  left  me  mine  alane. 
Now  maun  I  flee  or  else  be  slain, 

Since  they  will  not  return ;  " 
With  that  he  ran  out  o'er  ane  den, 

Alongside  ane  little  burn. 

•  "  Smoor'd: "  smothered;  suppressed. 

t  "  Doughty  dee : "  redoubtable  men  die. 

X  "  Tald  "  seems  to  mean  here,  aforesaid. 

§  Sir  Lauchlan  MacLean,  of  Duart,  second  in  command.  "This  chieftain,"  says 
Tytler,  "was  conspicuous  from  his  great  stature  and  strength.  He  was  covered 
with  a  shirt  of  mail,  wielded  a  double-edged  Danish  battle-aze,  and  appears  to  have 
been  a  more  experienced  officer  than  the  rest." 

2n 


646  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


33     [Then  some  men  said—  "  We  will  be  sure 

And  tak'  MacLean  by  course." 
"  Go  to !  for  we  are  men  anew 

To  bear  him  doun  by  force." 
But  noble  Errol  had  remorse, 

And  said — '•  It  is  not  best; 
For  the  Argyle  has  got  the  worst, 

Let  him  gang  with  the  rest. 

84  "  What  greater  honour  cou'd  ye  wish, 

In  deeds  of  chivalry, 
Or  braver  victory  than  this, 

Where  one  has  chased  thrice  three? 
Therefore,  good  fellows,  let  him  be ; 

He'll  dee  before  he  yield; 
For  he  with  his  small  company 

Bade  longest  in  the  field."] 

85  Then,  after  great  Argyle  his  host, 

Some  horsemen  took  the  chase; 
They  turn'd  their  backs,  for  all  their  boast, 

Contrair  their  foes  to  face. 
They  cried  out,  "  Oh  !  "  and  some,  "  Alace  ! " 

But  never  for  mercy  sought ; 
Therefore  the  Gordons  gave  no  grace, 

Because  they  crav'd  it  not. 

86  Then  some  good  man  pursued  sharp, 

With  Errol  and  Huntlie, 
And  they  with  ane  captain  did  carp, 

Wliose  name  was  Ogilvie. 
He  says — "Gentlemen,  let's  see 

Who  maniest  slain  [hast]  slaid; 
Save  nane  this  day  ye  may  gar  dee. 

For  pleadis  nor  ransom  paid."  * 

37     Like  harts,  up  howes  and  hills  they  ran, 

Where  horsemen  might  not  win ; 
"  Retire  again,"  quoth  Huntlie  then, 

"  Where  we  did  first  begin. 
Here  lies  many  carved  skins. 

And  many  ane  bloody  beard, 
For  any  help,  with  little  din. 

Shall  rot  abune  the  yeard."  f 

*  For  pleadings  nor  for  promised  ransom, 
t  "  Yeard:  "  earth. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BALRINNES:  647 


38  When  they  came  to  the  hill  again, 

They  set  doun  on  their  knees; 
Syne  thanked  God  that  they  had  slain 

So  many  enemies.* 
They  rose  before  Argyle  his  eyes, 

Made  Captain  Ker  ane  knight, 
Syne  bade  amang  the  dead  bodies 

Till  they  were  out  of  sight. 

39  [Now  I  have  you  already  told, 

Huntly  and  Errol's  men 
Could  scarce  be  thirteen  hundred  call'd. 

The  truth  if  ye  wou'd  ken. 
And  yet  Argyle  and  his  thousands  ten 

Were  they  that  took  the  race; 
And  tho'  that  they  were  nine  to  ane, 

They  caused  [them]  tak'  the  ohase. 

40  So  Argyle's  boast  it  was  in  vain 

(He  thocht  sure  not  to  tyne),f 
That  if  he  durst  come  to  the  plain, 

He  would  gar  every  nine 
Of  his  lay  hold  upon  ilk  man 

Huntly  and  Errol  had ; 
And  yet  for  all  his  odds  he  ran, 

To  tell  how  ill  he  sped.] 

41  This  deed  sae  doughtilie  was  done, 

As  I  heard  true  men  tell. 
Upon  a  Thursday  afternoon, 

Sanct  Francis'  eve  befell. 
Good  Auchindoun  was  slain  himsel', 

With  seven  mair  in  battell. 
So  was  the  laird  of  Lochenzell,J 

Great  pitie  was  to  tell.  § 

*  Such  blasphemous  exhibitions  of  barbarous  piety  are  neither  rare  nor  extinct,— 
witness  the  recent  notorious  despatches  of  a  certain  aged  and  pious  monarch  (Anno 
JJom.  1870).  The  following  lines,  ascribed  to  our  national  bard,  Robert  Bums,  may 
be  here  quoted,  as  peculiarly  applicable : — 

"Ye  hypocrites,  are  ihese  your  pranks? 
To  murder  folks,  and  then  give  thanks ! 
Forbear,  forbear,  proceed  no  further, 
For  Glod  delights  in  no  such  murder." 

t  "Tyne:"  lose. 

X  Archibald  and  James  Campbell  of  LoohneU,  the  nearest  heirs  of  Argyle,  were 
killed  in  this  battle. — Ay  toun. 

f  The  poet  appears  to  have  been  imbued  with  a  truer  idea,  and  purer  spirit  of 
Christianity,  than  that  above  commented  on. 


548  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


THE  DUKE  OF  GOEDON'S  DAUGHTER. 

From  Ritson's  Scottish  Song,  vol.  ii.,  p.  169. 

"George  (Gordon),  fourth  Earl  of  Huntley,  who  succeeded  his  grand- 
father, Earl  Alexander,  in  1523,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Cori- 
chie,  in  1563,  had  actually  three  daughters  :  Lady  Elizabeth,  the 
eldest,  married  to  John,  Earl  of  Athole  ;  Lady  Margaret,  the  second, 
to  John,  Lord  Forbes  ;  and  Lady  Jean,  the  youngest,  to  the  famous 
James,  Earl  of  Bothwell,  from  whom  bein^  divorced,  anno  1568,  she 
married  Alexander,  Earl  of  Sutherland,  who  died  in  1594,  and,  sur- 
viving him,  Alexander  Ogilvie  of  Boyne.  The  dukedom  of  Gordon 
was  not  created  till  the  year  1684  ;  so  that,  if  the  ballad  be  older, 
instead  of  'the  Duke  of  Gordon,'  the  original  reading  must  have  been 
'the  Earl  of  Huntley.'  As  for  Alexander  Ogilvie,  he  appears  to  have 
succeeded  his  father.  Sir  Walter  Ogilvie,  in  the  barony  of  Boyne, 
about  1560,  and  to  have  died  in  1606  :  this  Lady  Jean  being  his 
first  wife,  by  whom  he  seems  to  have  had  no  issue.  See  Gordon's 
History  of  the  Gordons,  and  Douglas's  Peerage  and  Baronage^ — 
Kitson. 

[The  first  line  should  probably  read  as  quoted  by  Burns  in  the  fol- 
lowing note  : — "There  is  a  song  apparently  as  ancient  as  the  'Ewe- 
bughts,  Marion,'  which  sings  to  the  same  tune,  and  is  evidently  of 
the  North.  It  begins,  '  The  Lord  o'  Gordon  had  three  daughters. '  " 
— Cromek's  Reliques.] 

1  The  Duke  of  Gordon  has  three  daughters, 

Elizabeth,  Margaret,  and  Jean ; 
They  wou'd  not  stay  in  bonnie  Castle  Gordon, 
But  they  wou'd  go  to  bonnie  Aberdeen. 

2  They  had  not  been  in  Aberdeen 

A  twelvemonth  and  a  day, 
Till  Lady  Jean  fell  in  love  with  Captain  Ogilvie, 
And  away  with  him  she  wou'd  gae. 

3  Word  came  to  the  Duke  of  Gordon, 

In  the  chamber  where  he  lay, — 
"  Lady  Jane  has  fell  in  love  with  Captain  Ogilvie, 
And  away  with  him  she  wou'd  gae." 

4  "  Go  saddle  me  the  black  horse, 

And  you'll  ride  on  the  gray; 
And  I  will  ride  to  bonnie  Aberdeen, 
Where  I  have  been  many  a  day." 

5  They  were  not  a  mile  from  Aberdeen, 

A  mile  but  only  three, 
Till  he  met  with  his  two  daughters  walking, 
But  away  was  Lady  Jeanie. 


THE  DUKE   OF  GORDON'S  DAUGHTER.  649 


6  "Where  is  your  sister,  maidens? 

Where  is  your  sister,  now  ? 
Where  is  your  sister,  maidens, 

That  she  is  not  walking  with  you  V  " 

7  "  Oh,  pardon  us,  honoured  father. 

Oh,  pardon  us,"  they  did  say  ; 
"  Lady  Jean  is  with  Captain  Ogilvie, 
And  away  with  him  she  will  gae." 

8  When  he  came  to  Aberdeen, 

And  down  upon  the  green. 
There  did  he  see  Captain  Ogilvie, 
.   Training  up  his  men. 

9  "Oh,  woe  to  you,  Captain  Ogilvie, 

And  an  ill  death  thou  shalt  die ; 
For  taking  to  my  daughter. 
Hanged  thou  shalt  be." 

10  Duke  Gordon  has  wrote  a  broad  letter, 

And  sent  it  to  the  king, 
To  cause  hang  Captain  Ogilvie, 
If  ever  he  hanged  a  man. 

11  "  I  will  not  hang  Captain  Ogilvie, 

For  no  lord  that  I  see ; 
But  I'll  cause  him  to  put  oflf  the  lace  and  scarlet, 
And  put  on  the  single  livery." 

12  Word  came  to  Captain  Ogilvie, 

In  the  chamber  where  he  lay, 
To  cast  off  the  gold  lace  and  scarlet, 
And  put  on  the  single  livery. 

13  "  If  this  be  for  bonnie  Jeanie  Gordon, 

This  penance  I'll  take  wi' ; 
If  this  be  for  bonnie  Jeanie  Gordon, 
All  this  I  will  dree." 

14  Lady  Jean  had  not  been  married. 

Not  a  year  but  three. 
Till  she  had  a  babe  in  every  arm, 
Another  upon  her  knee. 

15  "  Oh,  but  I'm  weary  of  wandering ! 

Oh,  but  my  fortune  is  bad  ! 
It  sets  not  the  Duke  of  Gordon's  daughter 
To  follow  a  soldier  lad. 


550  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


16  "Oh,  but  I'm  weary  of  wandering! 

Oh,  but  I  think  lang! 
It  sets  not  the  Duke  of  Gordon's  daughter 
To  follow  a  single  man."* 

17  When  they  came  to  the  Highland  hills, 

Cold  was  the  frost  and  snow; 
Lady  Jean's  shoes  they  were  all  torn, 
No  farther  cou'd  she  go. 

18  "Oh,  woe  to  the  hills  and  the  mountains  I 

Woe  to  the  wind  and  the  rain! 

My  feet  is  sore  with  going  barefoot, 

No  farther  am  I  able  to  gang. 

19  "  Woe  to  the  hills  and  the  mountains! 

Woe  to  the  frost  and  the  snow! 

My  feet  is  sore  with  going  barefoot, 

No  farther  am  I  able  for  to  go. 

20  "  Oh,  if  I  were  at  the  glens  of  Foudlen, 

Where  hunting  I  have  been, 
I  wou'd  find  the  way  to  bonnie  Castle  Gordon, 
Without  either  stockings  or  sheen."  f 

21  When  she  came  to  Castle  Gordon, 

And  down  upon  the  green, 
The  porter  gave  out  a  loud  shout, 
"Oh,  yonder  comes  Lady  Jean  !" 

22  "  Oh,  you  are  welcome,  bonnie  Jeanie  Gordon, 

You  are  dear  welcome  to  me; 
You  are  welcome,  dear  Jeanie  Gordon, 
But  away  with  your  Captain  Ogilvie." 

23  Now  over  seas  went  the  Captain, 

As  a  soldier  under  command; 
A  message  soon  followed  after. 

To  come  and  heir  his  brother's  land. 

24  "  Come  home,  you  pretty  Captain  Ogilvie, 

And  heir  your  brother's  land; 
Come  home,  ye  pretty  Captain  Ogilvie, 
Be  Earl  of  Northumberland." 

•  •« Single  man: "  a  private. 

t  "Sheen."    Aberdeenshire  dialect 


THE   DUBCE   OF   GORDON'S  DAUGHTER.  551 


25  "  Oh,  what  does  this  mean?"  says  the  Captain, 

"Where's  my  brother's  children  three?" 
"  They  are  [all]  dead  and  buried, 
And  the  lands  they  are  ready  for  thee." 

26  "  Then  hoist  up  your  sails,  brave  Captain, 

Let  us  be  jovial  and  free; 
I'll  to  Northumberland,  and  heir  my  estate, 
Then  my  dear  Jeanie  I'll  see." 

27  He  soon  came  to  Castle  Gordon, 

And  down  upon  the  green; 
The  porter  gave  out  with  a  loud  shout, 
"  Here  comes  Captain  Ogilvie  !  " 

28  "You're  welcome,  pretty  Captain  Ogilvie, 

Your  fortune's  advanced,  I  hear; 
No  stranger  can  come  unto  my  gates, 
That  I  do  love  so  dear." 

29  "  Sir,  the  last  time  I  was  at  your  gates. 

You  wou'd  not  let  me  in; 
I'm  come  for  my  wife  and  children. 
No  friendship  else  I  claim." 

30  "Come  in,  pretty  Captain  Ogilvie, 

And  drink  of  tiie  beer  and  the  wine; 
And  thou  shalt  have  gold  and  silver. 
To  count  till  the  clock  strike  nine." 

31  "I'll  have  none  of  your  gold  and  silver, 

Nor  none  of  your  white  money; 

But  I'll  have  bonnie  Jeanie  Gordon, 

And  she  shall  go  now  with  me." 

32  Then  she  came  tripping  down  the  stair. 

With  the  tear  into  her  e'e; 
One  [bonnie]  babe  was  at  her  foot, 
Another  upon  her  knee. 

33  "  You're  welcome,  bonnie  Jeanie  Gordon, 

With  my  young  familie; 
Mount  and  go  to  Northumberland, 
There  a  countess  thou  shalt  be." 


552  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


THE  LADS  OF  WAMPHRAY. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii. ,  p.  148. 

"  The  following  song  celebrates  the  skirmish,  in  1593,  between  the 
Johnstones  and  Crichtons,  which  led  to  the  revival  of  the  ancient 
quarrel  betwixt  Johnstone  and  Maxwell,  and  finally  to  the  battle  of 
Dryffe  Sands,  in  which  the  latter  lost  his  life.  Wamphray  is  the 
name  of  a  parish  in  Annandale.  Lethenhall  was  the  abode  of  John- 
stone of  Wamphray,  and  continued  to  be  so  till  of  late  years.  William 
Johnstone  of  Wamphray,  called  the  GaUiard,  was  a  noted  freebooter. 
A  place,  near  the  head  of  Teviotdale,  retains  the  name  of  the  Galliard's 
fauld's  (folds),  being  a  valley,  where  he  used  to  secrete  and  divide  his 
spoil,  with  his  Liddesdale  and  Eskdale  associates.  His  nom  de  guerre 
seems  to  have  been  derived  from  the  dance  called  '  The  GaUiard.'  The 
word  is  still  used  in  Scotland,  to  express  an  active,  gay,  dissipated 
character."  Willie  of  the  Kirkhill,  nephew  to  the  GaUiard,  and  his 
avenger,  was  also  a  noted  Border  robber.  Previous  to  the  battle  of 
Dryffe  Sands,  so  often  mentioned,  tradition  reports,  that  Maxwell 
had  offered  a  ten-pound-land  to  any  of  his  party,  who  should  briag 
the  head  or  hand  of  the  Laird  of  Johnstone.  This  being  reported 
to  his  antagonist,  he  answered,  he  had  not  a  ten-pound-land  to  offer, 
but  would  give  a  five-merk-land  to  the  man  who  should  that  day 
cut  off  the  head  or  hand  of  Lord  Maxwell.  Willie  of  the  KirkhiU, 
mounted  upon  a  young  gray  horse,  rushed  upon  the  enemy,  and 
earned  the  reward  by  striking  down  their  unfortunate  chieftain,  and 
cutting  off  his  right  hand. 

"From  a  pedigree  in  the  appeal  case  of  Sir  James  Johnstone  of 
Westeraw,  claiming  the  honours  and  titles  of  Annandale,  it  appears 
that  the  Johnstones  of  Wamphray  were  descended  from  James, 
sixth  son  of  the  sixth  Baron  of  Johnstone.  The  male  line  became 
extinct  in  1657." — Scott. 

[See  subsequent  ballad,  entitled  "  Lord  MaxweU's  Good-night."] 

1     'TwiXT  Girth-head  f  and  the  Langwood-end, 
Lived  the  GaUiard,  and  the  Galliard's  men; 
But  and  the  lads  of  Leverhay, 
That  drove  the  Crichton's  gear  away. 


It  is  the  lads  of  Lethenha', 
The  greatest  rogues  among  them  a' : 
But  and  the  lads  of  Stefenbiggin, 
They  broke  the  house  in  at  the  rigging. 


■'  Cleveland  applies  the  phrase  in  a  very  different  manner,  in  treating  of  tho 
Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster,  1644  :— 

"And  Seldea  is  a  GaUiard  by  himself, 
And  wel  might  be;  there  'e  more  divines  in  him. 
Than  in  all  this  their  Jewish  Sanhedrim." 
Skelton,  in  his  railing  poem  against  James  IV.,  terms  him  Sir  Skyr  Qalyard. 

t  Leverhay,  Stefenbiggin,  Girth-head,  &c.,  are  all  situated  in  the  parish  of  Wam- 
phray. 


THE  LADS  OF  WAMPHRAT.  553 


3  The  lads  of  Fingland,  and  Helbeck-hill, 
They  were  never  for  good,  but  aye  for  ill; 
'Twixt  the  Staywood-bush  and  Langside-hill, 
They  steal'd  the  broked  cow  and  the  branded  bull. 

4  It  is  the  lads  of  the  Girth-head, 

The  deil  's  in  them  for  pride  and  greed ; 
For  the  Galliard  and  the  gay  Galliard's  men, 
They  ne'er  saw  a  horse  but  they  made  it  their  ain. 

5  The  Galliard  to  Nithsdale  is  gane, 

To  steal  Sim  Crichton's  winsome  dun  ; 

The  Galliard  is  unto  the  stable  gane. 

But  instead  of  the  dun,  the  blind  he  has  ta'en. 

6  "  Now  Simmy,  Simmy  of  the  Side, 
Come  out  and  see  a  Johnstone  ride! 
Here 's  the  bonniest  horse  in  a'  Nithside, 
And  a  gentle  Johnstone  aboon  his  hide." 

7  Simmy  Crichton  's  mounted  then, 
And  Crichtons  has  raised  mony  a  ane ; 

The  Galliard  trow'd  his  horse  had  been  wight, 
But  the  Crichtons  beat  him  out  o'  sight. 

8  As  soon  as  the  Galliard  the  Crichton  saw, 
Behind  the  saugh-bush  he  did  draw ; 

And  there  the  Crichtons  the  Galliard  ha'e  ta'en, 
And  nane  with  him  but  Willie  alane. 

9  "  Oh,  Simmy,  Simmy,  now  let  me  gang, 
And  I'll  never  mair  do  a  Crichton  wrang  I 
Oh,  Simmy,  Simmy,  now  let  me  be, 
And  a  peck  o'  gowd  I'll  give  to  thee  ! 

10  "  Oh,  Simmy,  Simmy,  now  let  me  gang, 
And  my  wife  shall  heap  it  with  her  hand." 
But  the  Crichtons  wou'dna  let  the  Galliard  be, 
But  they  hang'd  him  hie  upon  a  tree. 

11  Oh,  think  then  Willie  he  was  right  wae, 
When  he  saw  his  uncle  guided  sae  ; 

"  But  if  ever  I  live  Wamphray  to  see, 
My  uncle's  death  avenged  shall  be ! " 

12  Back  to  Wamphray  he  is  gane, 
And  riders  has  raised  mony  a  ane; 
Saying — "  My  lads,  if  ye'll  be  true, 
Ye  shall  all  be  clad  in  the  noble  blue." 


554  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


13  Back  to  Nithsdale  they  have  gane, 

And  awa  the  Crichtons'  nowt"  ha'e  ta'en; 
But  when  they  came  to  the  Wellpath-head,* 
The  Crichtons  bade  them  'light  and  lead. 

14  And  when  they  came  to  Biddes-burn," 
The  Crichtons  bade  them  stand  and  turn; 
And  when  they  carne  to  the  Biddes-strand, 
The  Crichtons  they  were  hard  at  hand. 

15  But  when  they  came  to  the  Biddes-law,'' 
The  Johnstones  bade  them  stand  and  draw; 
"We've  done  nae  ill,  we'll  thole*  nae  wrang, 
But  back  to  Waraphray  we  will  gang." 

16  And  out  spoke  Willie  of  the  Kirkhill, — 
'*  Of  fighting,  lads,  ye'se  ha'e  your  fill." 
And  from  his  horse  Willie  he  lap, 

And  a  burnish'd  brand  in  his  hand  he  gat. 

17  Out  through  the  Crichtons,  Willie  he  ran, 
And  dang  them  down  baith  horse  and  man; 
Oh,  but  the  Johnstones  were  wond'rous  rude, 
When  the  Biddes-burn  ran  three  days  blood  I 

18  "  Now,  sirs,  we  have  done  a  noble  deed. 
We  have  revenged  the  Galliard's  bleid ; 
For  every  finger  of  the  Galliard's  hand, 
I  vow  this  day  I've  kill'd  a  man." 

19  As  they  came  in  at  Evan-head, 

At  Ricklaw-holm  they  spread  abread;-'' 
"  Drive  on,  my  lads,  it  will  be  late ; 
We'll  ha'e  a  pint  at  Wamphray  gate.' 

20  "  For  where'er  I  gang,  or  e'er  I  ride. 
The  lads  of  Wamphray  are  on  my  side; 
And  of  all  the  lads  that  I  do  ken, 

A  Wamphray  lad 's  the  king  of  men." 

»  "Nowt:"  cattle. 

6  The  Wellpath  is  a  pass  by  which  the  Johnstones  were  retreating  to  their  fast- 
nesses in  Annandale. 

"  The  Biddes-burn,  where  the  skirmish  took  place  betwixt  the  Johnstones  and 
their  pursuers,  is  a  rivulet  which  takes  its  course  among  the  mountains  on  the 
confines  of  Nithsdale  and  Annandale  [at  tlie  summit  level  of  the  Caledonian  Eiil- 
way]. 

d  "  Law  :"  a  conical  hilL 

*  "Thole:  "'endure. 

/Ricklaw-holm  is  a  place  upon  the  Evan  Water,  which  falls  into  the  Annan, 
below  Moffat. 

^  Wamphray  gate  was  in  those  days  an  alehouse. 


KINMONT  WILLIE.  555 


KINMONT  WILLIE. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii. ,  p.  32, 

"In  the  following  rude  strains,"  says  Scott,  "our  forefathers  com- 
memorated one  of  the  last  and  most  gallant  achievements  performed 
upon  the  Border." 

[The  events  which  the  ballad  records  occurred  in  the  year  1596, 
while  Sir  Walter  Scott  of  Buccleuch,  and  Lord  Scrope,  were  wardens 
of  the  West  Marches  of  Scotland  and  England  respectively ;  Buccleuch's 
deputy  being  Eobert  Scott  of  Haining,  one  of  his  own  clan;  while 
Lord  Scrope's  deputy  was  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Salkeld.  These 
deputies  met  on  a  day  of  truce,  "at  the  Dayholme  of  Kershoup,  where 
a  burn  divides  England  from  Scotland,  and  Liddesdaill  from  Bew- 
castle." 

In  contravention  of  Border  law,  William  Armstrong  of  Kinmont, 
a  renowned  moss-trooper  of  great  strength  and  stature,  while  returning 
home  with  but  three  or  four  in  his  company,  was  suddenly  pursued 
by  about  two  hundred  of  the  English  Borderers,  who  chased  him  for 
three  or  four  miles,  took  him  prisoner,  brought  him  back  to  the 
deputy,  and  carried  him  in  triumph  to  Carlisle  Castle. 

"Such  an  outrageous  violation  of  Border  law"  roused  the  wrath  of 
the  bold  Buccleuch,  who  wrote  to  Lord  Scrope  demanding  the  release  of 
the  prisoner;  but  receiving  no  satisfactory  reply,  he  "  swore  that  he 
would  bring  Kinmont  Willie  out  of  Carlisle  Castle,  quick  or  dead,  with 
his  own  hand.  The  threat  was  esteemed  a  mere  bravado ;  for  the  castle 
was  strongly  garrisoned  and  well  fortified,  in  the  middle  of  a  ])opulou3 
and  hostile  city,  and  under  the  command  of  Lord  Scrope,  as  brave  a 
soldier  as  in  England.  Yet  Buccleuch  was  not  intimidated.  Choosing  a 
dark  tempestuous  night  (the  13th  of  April),  he  assembled  two  hundred 
of  his  bravest  men  at  the  tower  of  Morton,  a  fortalice  on  the  debateable 
land,  on  the  Water  of  Sark,  about  ten  miles  from  Carlisle.  Amongst 
these,  the  leader,  whom  he  most  relied  on,  was  Watt  Scott  of  Harden; 
but,  along  with  him  were  Watt  Scott  of  Branxholm,  Watt  Scott  of 
Goldielands,  Jock  Elliot  of  the  Copshaw,  Sandie  Armstrong,  son  to 
Hobbie,  the  Laird  of  Mangerton,  Kinmont's  four  sons — Jock,  Francie, 
Sandie,  and  Geordie  Armstrong,  Rob  of  the  Langholm,  and  Willie 
Bell  the  Bedcloak ;  all  noted  and  daring  men.  .  .  .  They  passed 
the  river  Esk ;  rode  briskly  through  the  Grahames'  country ;  forded 
the  Eden,  then  swollen  over  its  banks,  and  came  to  the  brook  Caday, 
close  by  Carlisle,  where  Buccleuch  made  his  men  dismount,  and 
sUently  led  eighty  of  them  to  the  foot  of  the  wall  of  the  base  or  outer 
court  of  the  castle. 

"Everything  favoured  them:  the  heavens  were  as  black  as  pitch, 
the  rain  descended  in  torrents ;  and  as  they  raised  their  ladders  to  fix 
them  on  the  cope-stone,  they  could  hear  the  English  sentinels  challenge 
as  they  walked  their  rounds.  To  their  rage  and  disai>pointment, 
the  ladders  j)roved  too  short ;  but  finding  a  postern  in  the  wall,  they 
undermined  it,  and  soon  made  a  breach  enough  for  a  soldier  to 
squeeze  through.  In  this  way  a  dozen  stout  fellows  passed  into  the 
outer  court  (Buccleuch  himself  being  the  fifth  man  who  entered), 


556  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


disarmed  and  bound  the  watch,  wrenched  open  the  postern  from  the 
inside,  and  thus  admitting  their  companions,  were  masters  of  the 
place 

•  "  Lord  Scrope,  believing,  as  he  afterwards  wrote  to  Burghley,  that 
five  hundred  Scots  were  in  possession  of  the  castle,  kept  himself  close 
within  his  chamber.  Kinmont  Will  himself,  as  he  was  carried  on  his 
friends'  shoulders  beneath  the  warden's  window,  roared  out  a  lusty 
'Good-night '  to  his  lordship;  and  in  a  wonderfully  brief  space,  Buccleuch 
had  eifected  his  purpose,  joined  his  men  on  the  Caday,  remounted  his 
troopers,  forded  once  more  the  Esk  and  the  Eden,  and,  bearing  his 
rescued  favourite  in  the  middle  of  his  little  band,  regained  the  Scottish 
Border  before  sunrise." — Tytler's  History  of  Scotland,  1596."] 

"  The  Queen  of  England,  having  notice  sent  her  of  what  was  done, 
stormed  not  a  little.  [But]  this  affair  of  Kinmont  Willie  was  not  the 
oidy  occasion  upon  which  the  undaunted  keeper  of  Liddesdale  gave 
offence  to  the  haughty  Elizabeth.  For  even  before  this  business  was 
settled,  certain  of  the  English  Borderers  having  invaded  Liddesdale, 
and  wasted  the  country,  the  Laird  of  Buccleuch  retaliated  the  injury 
by  a  raid  into  England,  in  which  he  not  only  brought  off  much  spoil, 
but  apprehended  thirty-six  of  the  Tynedale  thieves,  all  of  whom  he  put 
to  death. — Spottiswoode,  p.  450.  How  highly  the  Queen  of  England's 
resentment  blazed  on  this  occasion,  may  be  judged  from  the  preface  to 
her  letter  to  Bowes,  then  her  ambassador  in  Scotland.  '  I  wonder 
how  base-minded  that  king  thinks  me,  that,  with  patience,  I  can  digest 
this  dishonourable    ....     Let  him  know,  therefore,  that  I  will 

have  satisfaction,  or  else '     These  broken  words  of  ire 

are  inserted  betwixt  the  subscription  and  the  address  of  the  letter. — 
Rymer,  vol.  xvi.,  p.  318.  Indeed,  so  deadly  was  the  resentment  of 
the  English,  on  account  of  the  affronts  put  upon  them  by  this  formid- 
able chieftain,  that  there  seems  at  one  time  to  have  been  a  plan  formed 
(not,  as  was  alleged,  without  Elizabeth's  privity)  to  assassinate 
Buccleuch. — Rymer,  vol.  xvi.,  p.  107.  The  matter  was  at  length 
arranged  by  the  commissioners  of  both  nations  in  Berwick,  by  whom 
it  was  agreed  that  delinquents  should  be  delivered  up  on  both  sides, 
and  that  the  chiefs  themselves  should  enter  into  ward  in  the  opposite 
countries  till  these  were  given  up,  and  pledges  granted  for  the  future 
maintenance  of  the  quiet  of  the  Borders.  Buccleuch  and  Sir  Robert 
Ker  of  Cessford  (ancestor  of  the  Duke  of  Roxburghe)  appear  to  have 
struggled  hard  against  complying  with  this  regulation  ;  so  much  so, 
that  it  required  all  James's  authority  to  bring  to  order  these  two 
powerful  chiefs. — Rymer,  vol.  xvL,  p.  322;  Spottiswoode,  p.  448; 
Carey's  Memoirs,  p.  131,  et  sequen. 

*  [The  accoimt  of  this  gallant  achievement,  contained  in  Tytler,  is  here  substituted 
in  place  of  that  in  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  where  it  is  given  from  "a  manuscript  of  the 
period,  the  property  of  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Shawfleld,  which  gives  a  minute  detail  of 
this  celebrated  exploit.  The  MS.  [which]  contains  many  curious  articles  relating 
to  the  Highlands  and  Borders,  arranged  in  a  miscellaneous  order;  appear[s]  to  have 
been  a  collection  made  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  Archbishop  Spottiswoode  in 
compiling  his  work."    It  is  headed : — 

"  Relation  of  the  maner  of  surprizeing  of  the  castell  of  Cairlell,  by  the  Lord  of 
Baccleugh,  in  ihe  later  end  of  Q.  Elizabeth's  Reigne.     (Anno  1596.)  " 

The  subsequent  information  his  been  selected  from  the  latter  portion  of  Scott's 
introduction  to  this  ballad.] 


KINMONT  WILLIE.  557 


"According  to  ancient  family  tradition,  Buccleuch  was  presented 
to  Elizabeth,  who,  with  her  usual  rough  and  peremptory  address, 
demanded  of  him,  *  How  he  dared  to  undertake  an  enterprise  so 
desperate  and  presumptuous?' — 'What  is  it,'  answered  the  un- 
daunted chieftain — |what  is  it  that  a  man  dares  not  do?'  Elizabeth, 
struck  with  the  reply,  turned  to  a  lord  in  waiting;  'With  ten 
thousand  such  men,'  said  she,  '  our  brother  of  Scotland  might  shake 
the  firmest  throne  of  Europe.'  Luckily,  perhaps,  for  the  murderess 
of  Queen  Mary,  James's  talents  did  not  lie  that  way. 

"The  articles,  settled  by  the  commissioners  at  Berwick,  were 
highly  favourable  to  the  peace  of  the  Border.  They  may  be  seen  at 
large,  in  the  Border  Laws,  p.  103.  By  article  sixth,  all  wardens  and 
keepers  are  discharged  from  seeking  reparation  of  injuries,  in  the 
ancient  hostile  mode  of  riding,  or  causing  to  ride,  in  warlike  manner 
against  the  opposite  March,  and  that  under  the  highest  penalty,  unless 
authorized  by  a  warrant  under  the  hand  of  their  sovereign.  The 
mention  of  the  word  keeper,  alludes  obviously  to  the  above-mentioned 
reprisals,  made  by  Buccleuch,  in  the  capacity  of  keeper  of  Liddesdale. 

"  Scott  of  Satchells,  in  the  extraordinary  poetical  performance, 
which  he  has  been  pleased  to  entitle  'A  History  of  the  Name  of 
Scott'  (published  1688),  dwells,  with  great  pleasure,  upon  this 
gallant  achievement,  at  which,  it  would  seem,  his  father  had  been 
present.  He  also  mentions,  that  the  Laird  of  Buccleuch  employed 
the  services  of  the  younger  sons  and  brothers  only  of  his  clan,  lest 
the  name  should  have  been  weakened  by  the  landed  men  incurring 
forfeiture.  But  he  adds,  that  three  gentlemen  of  estate  insisted  upon 
attending  their  chief,  notwithstanding  this  prohibition.  These  wei-e, 
the  Lairds  of  Harden  and  Commonside,  and  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot  of  the 
Stobbs,  a  relation  of  the  Laird  of  Buccleuch,  and  ancestor  to  the 
present  Sir  William  Elliot,  Bart.  In  many  things  Satchells  agrees 
with  the  ballads  current  in  his  time,  from  which,  in  all  probability, 
he  derived  most  of  his  information  as  to  past  events,  and  from  which 
he  sometimes  pirates  whole  verses,  as  noticed  in  the  annotations  upon 
the  '  Raid  of  the  Reidswire.'  In  the  present  instance,  he  mentions 
the  prisoner's  large  spurs  (alluding  to  the  fetters),  and  some  other 
little  incidents  noticed  in  the  ballad,  which  were  therefore,  probably, 
well  known  in  his  days. 

"  All  contemporary  historians  unite  in  extolling  the  deed  itself 
as  the  most  daring  and  well-conducted  achievement  of  that  age. 
'  Audax  /acinus,  cum  modica  manu,  in  urbe  mcenibus  et  multitudine 
oppidanorum  munita,  et  callidse  audaciae,  vix  uUo  obsisti  modo  potuit.' 
— Johnstoni  HisU/ria,  ed.  Amstael.,  p.  214.  Birrel,  in  his  gossiping 
way,  says,  the  exploit  was  performed  'with  shoutmg  and  crying, 
and  sound  of  trumpet,  puttand  the  said  toun  and  countrie  in  sic 
ane  fray,  that  the  like  of  sic  ane  wassaladge  was  never  done  since  the 
memory  of  man,  no  not  in  Wallace  dayis.' — Birrel's  Diary,  April 
6,  1596.  This  good  old  citizen  of  Edinburgh  also  mentions  another 
incident,  which  I  think  proper  to  insert  here,  both  as  relating  to  the 
personages  mentioned  in  the  following  ballad,  and  as  tending  to  show 
the  light  in  which  the  men  of  the  Border  were  regarded,  even  at  this 
late  period,  by  their  fellow-subjects.  The  author  is  talking  of  the 
king's  return  to  Edinburgh,  after  the  disgrace  which   he  had  sus- 


558  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


tained  there,  during  the  riot  excited  by  the  seditious  ministers,  on 
December  17,  1596.  Proclamation  had  been  made,  that  the  Earl  of 
Mar  should  keep  the  West  Port,  Lord  Seaton  the  Nether-Bow,  and 
Buccleuch,  with  sundry  others,  the  High  Gate.  '  Upon  the  morn 
at  this  time,  and  befoir  this  day,  there  was  ane  grate  rumour  and 
word  among  the  touues-men,  that  the  Kinges  M.  sould  send  in  Will 
Kinmonde,  the  common  thieffe,  and  so  many  southlande  men  as  sould 
spulyie  the  toun  of  Edinburgh.  Upon  the  whilk,  the  haill  merchants 
tuik  their  hail  gear  out  of  their  buiths  or  chops,  and  transportit  the 
same  to  the  strongest  hous  that  was  in  the  toune,  and  remained  in 
the  said  hous,  thair,  with  themseltis,  thair  servants,  and  luiking  for 
nothing  bot  that  thaye  sould  have  been  all  spulyeit.  Sic  lyke  the 
hail  craftsmen  and  commons  convenit  themselfis,  their  best  guidis, 
as  it  wer  ten  or  twelve  householdes  in  ane,  whilk  wes  the  strongest 
hous,  and  might  be  best  kepit  from  spuilyeing  or  burning,  with 
hagbut,  pistolet,  and  other  sic  armour,  as  might  best  defend  them- 
seltis. Judge,  gentil  reader,  giff  this  was  playing. '  The  fear  of  the 
Borderers  being  thus  before  the  eyes  of  the  contumacious  citizens  of 
Edinburgh,  James  obtained  a  quiet  hearing  for  one  of  his  favourite 
orisons,  or  harangues,  and  was  finally  enabled  to  prescribe  terms  to 
his  fanatic  metropolis.  Good  discipline  was,  however,  maintained  by 
the  chiefs  upon  this  occasion  ;  although  the  fears  of  the  inhabitants 
were  but  too  well  grounded,  considering  what  had  happened  in 
Stirling  ten  years  before,  when  the  Earl  of  Angus,  attended  by 
Home,  Buccleuch,  and  other  Border  chieftains,  marched  thither  to 
remove  the  Earl  of  Arran  from  the  king's  councUs:  the  town  was 
miserably  pillaged  by  the  Borderers,  particularly  by  a  party  of  Arm- 
strongs, under  this  very  Kinmont  Willie,  who  not  only  made  prey 
of  horses  and  cattle,  but  even  of  the  very  iron  grating  of  the  windows. 
— Johnston!  Historia,  p.  102,  ed.  AmstaeL — Moyse's  Memoirs,  p. 
100. 

"The  renown  of  Kinmont  Willie  is  not  surprising,  since,  in  1587, 
the  apprehending  that  freebooter,  and  Robert  Maxwell,  natural  brother 
to  the  Lord  Maxwell,  was  the  main,  but  unaccomplished,  object  of 
a  royal  expedition  to  Dumfries.  '  Bex  .  .  .  liombertum  Max- 
vallium  .  .  .  et  Gulielmum  Armstrangum  Kinmonthum  latrodniis 
intestinis  exfemisque  famosum,  conquiri  jubet.  Missi  e  ministerio 
regio  qui  per  aspera  loca  vitabundos  persequuntur,  magnoque  incom- 
modo  afficiunt.  At  illi  latebri ;  aut  silvis  se  eripiunt.' — Johnstoni 
Historia,  p.  138.  About  this  time,  it  is  possible  that  Kinmont 
Willie  may  have  held  some  connection  with  the  Maxwells,  though 
afterwards  a  retainer  to  Buccleuch,  the  enemy  of  that  tribe.  At 
least,  the  editor  finds,  that  in  a  bond  of  manrent,  granted  by  Simon 
Elliot  of  Whytheuch,  in  Liddesdale,  to  Lord  Maxwell,  styled 
therein  Earl  of  Morton,  dated  February  28th,  1599,  William  Arm- 
strong, called  Will  of  Kinmond,  appears  as  a  witness. — Syme's  MSS. 
According  to  Satchells,  this  freebooter  was  descended  of  Johne  Arm- 
strong of  Gilnockie  (ante,  p.  487)  : — Kit  in  juvencis,  est  et  in  equis, 
patrum  virtus.  In  fact,  his  rapacity  made  his  very  name  proverbial. 
Mas  James  Melvine,  in  urging  reasons  against  subscribing  the  Act 
of  Supremacy,  in  1584,  asks  ironically,  '  Who  shall  take  order  with 
vice  and  wickedness  ?    The  court  and  bishops  ?    As  well  as  Martine 


KINMONT  WILLIE.  559 


Elliot,   and  Will  of  Kinmont,  -with  stealing  upon  the  Borders ! ' — 
Caldeiivood,  p.  168. 

"  This  ballad  is  preserved  by  tradition  on  the  West  Borders,  but 
much  mangled  by  reciters,  so  that  some  conjectured  emendations  have 
been  absolutely  necessary  to  render  it  intelligible.  In  particular,  the 
'  Eden '  has  been  substituted  for  the  Eske,  the  latter  name  being 
inconsistent  with  topography." — Scott. 

1  Oh,  have  ye  na  heard  of  the  fause  Sakelde  ?  * 

Oh,  have  ye  na  heard  of  the  keen  Lord  Scroope? 
How  they  ha'e  ta'en  bauld  Kinmont  Willie,  f 
On  Haribee  to  hang  him  up  ?  { 

2  Had  Willie  had  but  twenty  men, 

But  twenty  men  as  stout  as  he, 
Fause  Sakelde  had  never  the  Kinmont  ta'en, 
With  eight  score  in  his  companie. 

3  They  band  his  legs  beneath  the  steed. 

They  tied  his  hands  behind  his  back  ; 
They  guarded  him,  fivesome  on  each  side. 
And  they  brought  him  o'er  the  Liddel-rack.  § 

4  They  led  him  thro'  the  Liddel-rack, 

And  also  thro'  the  Carlisle  sands ; 
They  brought  him  to  Carlisle  castell, 
To  be  at  my  Lord  Scroope's  commands. 

5  '*  My  hands  are  tied,  but  my  tongue  is  free, 

And  wha  will  dare  this  deed  avow  ? 
Or  answer  by  the  Border  law  ? 

Or  answer  to  the  bauld  Buccleuch?" 

6  "  Now  baud  thy  tongue,  thou  rank  reiver ! 

There  's  never  a  Scot  shall  set  thee  free  ; 
Before  ye  cross  my  castle  yate, 

I  trow  ye  shall  take  farewell  of  me." 

*  The  Salkeldes,  or  Sakeldes,  were  a  powerful  family  in  Cumberland,  possessing; 
among  other  manors,  that  of  Corby,  before  it  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Howards, 
in  Uie  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century.  A  strange  stratagem  was  practised 
by  an  outlaw,  called  Jock  Greeme  of  tUa  Peartree,  upon  Mr.  Salkelde,  Slieriff  of 
Cumberland,  who  is  probably  the  person  alluded  to  in  the  ballad,  as  the  fact  is 
stated  to  have  happened  late  in  Elizabeth's  time.  The  brother  of  this  freebooter 
was  lying  in  Carlisle  jail  for  execution,  when  Jock  of  the  Peartree  came  riding  past 
the  gate  of  Corby  Castle.  A  child  of  the  sheriff  was  playing  before  the  door,  to 
whom  the  outlaw  gave  an  apple,  saying,  "Master,  will  you  ride?"  The  boy  willingly 
consenting,  Greeme  took  him  up  before  him,  carried  him  into  Scotland,  and  would 
never  part  with  him,  till  he  had  his  brother  safe  from  the  gallows.  There  is  no 
historical  ground  for  supposing,  either  that  Salkelde,  or  any  one  else,  lost  his  life  in 
the  raid  of  Carlisle. 

t  In  the  list  of  Border  clans,  1597,  Will  of  Kinmonth,  with  Krystie  Armestrange, 
and  John  Skynbanke,  are  mentioned  as  leaders  of  a  baud  of  Armstrongs  called 
Sandies  Barnes,  inhabiting  the  Debateable  Land. 

t  Haribee  is  the  place  of  execution  at  Carlisle. 

i  The  Liddel-rack  is  a  ford  on  the  Liddel. 


660  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


7  "  Fear  na  ye  that,  my  lord,"  quo'  Willie  • 

"  By  the  faith  of  my  body.  Lord  Scroope,"  he  said, 
"  I  never  yet  lodged  in  a  hostelrie," 
But  I  paid  my  lawing'  before  I  gaed." 

8  Now  word  is  gane  to  the  bauld  Keeper, 

In  Branksome  Ha',  where  that  he  lay. 
That  Lord  Scroope  has  ta'en  the  Kinmont  Willie, 
Between  the  hours  of  night  and  day, 

9  He  has  ta'en  the  table  with  his  hand, 

He  gar'd  the  red  wine  spring  on  hie: 
"Now  Christ's  curse  on  my  head,"  he  said, 
"But  avenged  of  Lord  Scroope  I'll  be! 

10  "  Oh,  is  my  basnet"  a  widow's  curch?"* 

Or  my  lance  a  wand  of  the  w^illow  tree? 
Or  my  arm  a  ladye's  lily  hand, 

That  an  English  lord  should  lightly  *  me  ? 

11  "  And  have  they  ta'en  him,  Kinmont  Willie, 

Against  the  truce  of  Border  tide  ? 
And  forgotten  that  the  bauld  Buccleuch 
Is  Keeper  here  on  the  Scottish  side  ?  - 

12  "  And  have  they  e'en  ta'en  him,  Kinmont  Willie, 

Withouten  either  dread  or  fear? 
And  forgotten  that  the  bauld  Buccleuch 
Can  back  a  steed,  or  shake  a  spear  ? 

13  "  Oh,  were  there  war  between  the  lands, 

As  well  I  wot  that  there  is  none, 
I  wou'd  slight  Carlisle  castell  high, 
Though  it  were  builded  of  marble  stone. 

14  "  I  wou'd  set  that  castell  in  a  lowe,-'' 

And  sloken  it  with  English  blood ! 
There 's  never  a  man  in  Cumberland 
Shou'd  ken  where  Carlisle  castell  stood. 

15  "  But  since  nae  war 's  between  the  lands, 

And  there  is  peace,  and  peace  shou'd  be, 
I'll  neither  harm  English  lad  or  lass. 
And  yet  the  Kinmont  freed  shall  be  ! " 

«  "  Hostelrie : "  inn.  <*  "  Oureh: "  coif. 

6  "Lawing:"  reckoning.  *  "Lightly:"  set  light  by. 

*  "Basnet:"  helmet.  /  "Lowe:"  flame. 


KINMONT  WILLIE.  561 


16  He  has  call'd  him  forty  Marchmen  bauld, 

I  trow  they  were  of  his  ain  name, 
Except  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot,  call'd 

The  Laird  of  Stobs,  I  mean  the  same. 

17  He  has  call'd  him  forty  Marchmen  bauld, 

Were  kinsmen  to  the  bauld  Buccleuch ; 
With  spur  on  heel,  and  splent  on  spauld,* 
And  gleuves  of  green,  and  feathers  blue. 

18  There  were  five  and  five  before  them  all, 

With  hunting-horns  and  bugles  bright; 
And  five  and  five  came  with  Buccleuch,      ^ 
Like  warden's  men,  array'd  for  fight. 

19  And  five  and  five,  like  a  mason  gang, 

That  carried  the  ladders  lang  and  hie; 
And  five  and  five,  like  broken  men; 
And  so  they  reach'd  the  Woodhouselee.f 

20  And  as  we  cross'd  the  'Bateable  land. 

When  to  the  English  side  we  held, 
The  first  of  men  that  we  met  with, 
Wha  shou'd  it  be  but  fause  Sakelde  I 

iJl     "  Where  be  ye  gaun,  ye  hunters  keen  ?" 
Quo'  fause  Sakelde;  "come  tell  to  me!" 
"  We  go  to  hunt  an  English  stag, 
Has  trespass'd  on  the  Scots  cbuntrie." 

22  "Where  be  ye  gaun,  ye  marshal  men?" 

Quo'  fause  Sakelde;  "come  tell  me  truef" 
"  We  go  to  catch  a  rank  reiver. 
Has  broken  faith  with  the  bauld  Buccleuch." 

23  "  Where  are  ye  gaun,  ye  mason  lads, 

With  all  your  ladders,  lang  and  hie?" 
"  We  gang  to  herry  a  corbie's  nest, 
That  wons  not  far  frae  Woodhouselee." 

24  "Where  be  ye  gaun,  ye  broken  men?" 

Quo'  fause  Sakelde;  "come  tell  to  me!" 
Now  Dickie  of  Dryhope  led  that  band, 
And  the  never  a  word  of  lear  J  had  he. 

*  "Splent  on  spauld:"  armour  on  shoulder. 

t  "  Woodhouselee : "  a  bouse  on  the  Border,  belonging  to  Buccleuch. 

t  "Lear: ''  learning. 

20 


562  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


25  "Why  trespass  ye  on  the  English  side? 

Kow-footed  outlaws,  stand!  "  quo'  he; 
The  never  a  word  had  Dickie  to  say, 

Sae  he  thrust  the  lance  through  his  fause  bodie. 

26  Then  on  we  held  for  Carlisle  toun, 

And  at  Staneshaw-bank  the  Eden  we  cross'd; 
The  water  was  great  and  meikle  of  spate,  * 
But  the  never  a  horse  nor  man  we  lost. 

27  And  when  we  reached  the  Staneshaw-bank, 

The  wind  was  rising  loud  and  hie  ; 
And  there  the  laird  gar'd  leave  our  steeds. 
For  fear  that  they  shou'd  stamp  and  nie. 

28  And  when  we  left  the  Staneshaw-bank, 

The  wind  began  full  loud  to  blaw; 
But  'twas  wind  and  weet,  and  iire  and  sleet, 
When  we  came  beneath  the  castle  wa'. 

29  We  crept  on  knees,  and  held  our  breath. 

Till  we  placed  the  ladders  against  the  wa', 
And  sae  ready  was  Buccleuch  himsel' 
To  mount  the  first  before  us  a'. 

30  He  has  ta,'en  the  watchman  by  the  throat, 

He  flung  him  down  upon  the  lead- 
"  Had  there  not  been  peace  between  our  lands, 
Upon  the  other  side  thou  hadst  gaed ! 

31  "  Now  sound  out,  trumpets  !"  quo'  Buccleuch; 

"  Let 's  waken  Lord  Scroope  right  raerrilie!" 
Then  loud  the  warden's  trumpet  blew — 
"0  wha  dare  meddle  vn'  me  .*"t 

82  Then  speedilie  to  wark  we  gaed, 

And  raised  the  slogan  ane  and  a'. 
And  cut  a  hole  through  a  sheet  of  lead, 
And  so  we  wan  to  the  castle  ha'. 

83  They  thought  King  James  and  all  his  men 

Had  won  the  house  with  bow  and  spear; 
It  was  but  twenty  Scots  and  ten, 
That  put  a  thousand  in  sic  a  stearlj 

*  "  Spate:"  flood. 

t  The  name  of  a  Border  tune  or  slogan. 

X  "Stear:"  stir. 


KINMONT  WILLIE,  563 


34  With  coulters,  and  with  forehammers, 

We  gar'd  the  bars  bang  merrilie, 
Until  we  came  to  the  inner  prison, 
Where  Willie  o'  Kinmont  he  did  lie. 

35  And  when  we  came  to  the  lower  prison, 

Where  Willie  o'  Kinmont  he  did  lie : 

"  Oh,  sleep  ye,  wake  ye,  Kinmont  Willie, 

Upon  the  mom  that  thou's  to  die?" 

36  "  Oh,  I  sleep  saft,"  and  I  wake  aft; 

It 's  lang  since  sleeping  was  fley'd  *  frae  me ! 
Gi'e  my  service  back  to  my  wife  and  bairns. 
And  all  gude  fellows  that  speir  *  for  me." 

37  Then  Red  Rowan  has  hente  him  up, 

The  starkest  man  in  Teviotdale : 
"  Abide,  abide  now,  Red  Rowan, 
Till  of  my  Lord  Scroope  I  take  farewell. 

38  "  Farewell,  farewell,  my  gude  Lord  Scroope! 

My  gude  Lord  Scroope,  farewell!"  he  cried; 
"  I'll  pay  you  for  my  lodging  maill,"* 
When  first  we  meet  on  the  Border  side." 

39  Then  shoulder  high,  with  shout  and  cry. 

We  bore  him  down  the  ladder  lang; 
At  every  stride  Red  Rowan  made, 

I  wot  the  Kinmont's  aims  play'd  clang ! 

40  "  Oh,  mony  a  time,"  quo'  Kinmont  Willie, 

"I  have  ridden  horse  baith  wild  and  wud; 
But  a  rougher  beast  than  Red  Rowan, 
I  ween  my  legs  have  ne'er  bestrode. 

41  "  And  mony  a  time,"  quo'  Kinmont  Willie, 

"  I've  prick'd  a  horse  out  o'er  the  furs;* 
But  since  the  day  I  back'd  a  steed, 
I  never  wore  sic  cumbrous  spurs!"-'' 

"»  "  Saf  t :  "  light.  d  "  Maill : "  rent. 

b  "  Fley'd : "  frightened.  *  "  Furs :  "  furrows. 

«  "Speir:"  inquire. 

/  [In  many  of  the  recitals,  is  a  mixture  of  rough  humour,  which  like  the  char- 
acterizing touches  of  Hogarth's  pencil,  gives  an  animation  often  attempted  in  vain 
by  more  polished  writers.  Of  this,  the  ballad  of  "  Kinmont  Willie  "  affords  many 
examples,  especially  where  he  is  borne  out  of  prison  in  irons  on  the  shoulders  of 
Bed  ilowan,  the  btarkest  man  in  Teviotdale. — Edin.  Review,  Jan.,  1803.] 


564  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

42  We  scarce  had  won  the  Staneshaw-bank, 

When  all  the  Carlisle  bells  were  rung, 
And  a  thousand  men,  on  horse  and  foot, 
Came  with  the  keen  Lord  Scroope  along. 

43  Buccleuch  has  tum'd  to  Eden  Water, 

Even  where  it  flowed  frae  bank  to  brim, 
And  he  has  plunged  in  with  all  his  band. 
And  safely  swam  them  through  the  stream. 

44  He  turn'd  him  on  the  other  side, 

And  at  Lord  Scroope  his  glove  flung  he: 
"  If  ye  like  na  my  visit  in  merry  England, 
In  fair  Scotland  come  visit  me!" 

45  All  sore  astonish'd  stood  Lord  Scroope, 

He  stood  as  still  as  rock  of  stane ; 
He  scarcely  dared  to  trew  his  eyes. 

When  through  the  water  they  had  gane. 

46  "  He  is  either  himsel'  a  devil  frae  hell. 

Or  else  his  mother  a  witch  maun  be; 
I  wou'dna  have  ridden  that  wan  water 
For  all  the  gowd  in  Christentie." 


JAMIE  TELFER  OF  THE  FAIR  DODHEAD. 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  ii.,  p.  3. 

"  There  is  another  ballad,  under  the  same  title  as  the  following,  in 
which  nearly  the  same  incidents  are  narrated,  with  little  difiference, 
except  that  the  honour  of  rescuing  the  cattle  is  attributed  to  the 
Liddesdale  Elliots,  headed  by  a  Chief,  there  called  Martin  Elliot  of 
the  Preakin  Tower,  whose  son,  Simon,  is  said  to  have  fallen  in  the 
action.  It  is  very  possible  that  both  the  Teviotdale  Scotts,  and  the 
Elliots,  were  engaged  in  the  affair,  and  that  each  claimed  the  honour 
of  the  victory. 

"  The  editor  presumes,  that  the  Willie  Scott,  here  mentioned,  must 
have  been  a  natural  son  of  the  Laird  of  Buccleuch." — Scott. 

1  It  fell  about  the  Martinmas  tyde. 

When  our  Border  steeds  get  corn  and  hay, 
The  Captain  of  Bewcastle  hath  bound  him  to  ryde. 
And  he  's  o'er  to  Tividale  to  drive  a  prey. 

2  The  first  ae  guide  that  they  met  with. 

It  was  high  up  in  Hardhaughswire;  * 
The  second  guide  that  they  met  with. 
It  was  laigh  down  in  Borthwick  Water,  f 
•  Hardhaughswire  is  the  pass  from  Liddesdale  to  the  head  of  Teviotdale. 
t  Borthwick  Water  is  a  Btream  which  falls  into  the  Teviot  three  miles  above 
Hawick. 


JAMIE  TELFEB  OF  THE  FAIR  DODHEAD.  565 

3  "  Wliat  tidings,  what  tidings,  my  trusty  guide?" 

"  Nae  tidings,  nae  tidings  I  ha'e  to  thee; 
But  gin  ye'U  gae  to  the  fair  Dodhead," 
Mony  a  cow's  calf  I'll  let  thee  see." 

4  And  when  they  came  to  the  fair  Dodhead, 

Eight  hastily  they  clamb  the  peel; 
They  loosed  the  kye  out,  ane  and  all, 
And  ranshackled  *  the  house  right  weel. 

5  Now  Jamie  Telfer's  heart  was  sair," 

The  tear  aye  rowing  in  his  e'e; 
He  pled  with  the  Captain  to  ha'e  his  gear, 
Or  else  revenged  he  wou'd  be. 

6  The  Captain  turned  him  round  and  leugh ; 

Said — "  Man,  there 's  naething  in  thy  house, 
But  ae  auld  sword  without  a  sheath, 
That  hardly  now  would  fell  a  mouse." 

7  The  sun  wasna  up,  but  the  moon  was  down, 

It  was  the  gryming  •*  of  a  new-fa'n  snaw ; 
Jamie  Telfer  has  run  ten  miles  a-foot, 

Between  the  Bodhead  and  the  Stobs's  Ha'.* 

8  And  when  he  came  to  the  fair  tower  yate, 

He  shouted  loud,  and  cried  weel  "  Hie  !  " 
Till  out  bespak  auld  Gibby  Elliot, — 

"  Wha's  this  that  brings  the  fraye  to  me?" 

9  "  It 's  I,  Jamie  Telfer  of  the  fair  Dodhead, 

And  a  harried  man  I  think  I  be ! 
There 's  naething  left  at  the  fair  Dodhead, 
But  a  waefu'  wife  and  bairnies  three." 

10  "  Gae  seek  your  succour  at  Branksome  Ha',' 

For  succour  ye'se  get  nane  frae  me ! 
Gae  seek  your  succour  where  ye  paid  black-mail, 
For,  man,  ye  ne'er  paid  money  to  me." 

11  Jamie  has  turned  him  round  about, 

I  wat  the  tear  blinded  his  e'e : 
"  I'll  ne'er  pay  mail  to  Elliot  again. 
And  the  fair  Dodhead  I'll  never  see ! 

"  The  Dodhead,  in  Selkirkshire,  near  Singler,  where  there  are  still  the  vestiges  of 
an  old  tower. 

b  "  Eanshackled : "  ransacked. 

"  There  is  still  a  family  of  Telfers,  residing  near  Langholm,  who  pretend  to 
derive  their  descent  from  the  Telfers  of  the  Dodhead. 

<*  "Grryniing:"  sprinkling. 

«  StobB  Hall,  upon  Slitterick.  Jamie  Telfer  made  his  first  application  here,  because 
he  seems  to  have  paid  the  proprietor  of  the  castle  black-mail,  or  piotection-money. 

/  The  ancient  family-seat  of  the  Lairds  of  Buccleuch,  near  Hawick. 


566  BAULAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


12  "  My  hounds  may  all  rin  masterless, 

My  hawks  may  fly  frae  tree  to  tree, 
My  lord  may  grip  my  vassal  lands, 
For  there  again  maun  I  never  be ! " 

13  He  has  turn'd  him  to  the  Tiviot  side, 

E'en  as  fast  as  he  cou'd  drie, 
Till  he  came  to  the  Coultart  Cleugh,* 
And  there  he  shouted  baith  loud  and  hie. 

14  Then  up  bespak'  him  auld  Jock  Grieve, — 

"  Wha  's  this  that  brings  the  fraye  to  me ! " 
"  It 's  I,  Jamie  Telfer  of  the  fair  Dodhead, 
A  harried  man  I  trow  I  be. 

15  "  There 's  naething  left  in  the  fair  Dodhead, 

But  a  greeting  wife  and  bairnies  three ; 
And  sax  poor  calfs  stand  in  the  stall, 
All  routing  loud  for  their  minnie."  f 

16  "  Alack  a  wae ! "  quo'  auld  Jock  Grieve, 

"  Alack  !  my  heart  is  sair  for  thee ! 
For  I  was  married  on  the  elder  sister, 

And  you  on  the  youngest  of  all  the  three." 

17  Then  he  has  ta'en  out  a  bonnie  black. 

Was  right  weel  fed  with  corn  and  hay. 
And  he  's  set  Jamie  Telfer  on  his  back, 
To  the  Catslockhill  to  tak'  the  fraye. 

18  And  when  he  came  to  the  Catslockhill, 

He  shouted  loud,  and  cried  weel  "  Hie  ! " 
Till  out  and  spak'  him  William's  Wat, — 
"  Oh,  wha 's  this  brings  the  fraye  to  me  ?  " 

19  "  It 's  I,  Jamie  Telfer  of  the  fair  Dodhead, 

A  harried  man  I  think  I  be  ! 
The  Captain  of  Bewcastle  has  driven  my  gear; 
For  God's  sake  rise,  and  succour  me  1 " 

20  "  Alas  for  wae  !  "  quoth  William's  Wat, 

"  Alack,  for  thee  my  heart  is  sair  1 
I  never  came  by  the  fair  Dodhead, 
That  ever  I  fand  thy  basket  bare." 

21  He  's  set  his  twa  sons  on  coal-black  steeds, 

Himsel'  upon  a  freckled  gray. 
And  they  are  on  with  Jamie  Telfer, 
To  Branksome  Ha'  to  tak'  the  fraye. 

*  The  Coultart  Cleugh  is  nearly   opposite  to  Carlinrig,  on  the  road   between 
Hawick  and  Mosspaul. 
t  "Minnie:"  mother. 


JAMIE  TELFER  OF  THE   FAIR  DODHEAD.  667 


22  And  when  they  came  to  Branksorae  Ha', 

They  shouted  all  baith  loud  and  hie, 
Till  up  and  spak'  him  auld  Buccleuch, 

Said — "  Wha  's  this  brings  the  fraye  to  me  ?  " 

23  "  It 's  I,  Jamie  Telfer  of  the  fair  Dodhead, 

And  a  harried  man  I  think  I  be  ! 
There 's  naught  left  in  the  fair  Dodhead, 
But  a  greeting  wife  and  bairnies  three." 

2-1:     "  Alack  for  wae !  "  quoth  the  gude  auld  lord, 
"  And  ever  my  heart  is  wae  for  thee  ! 
But  fye,  gar  cry  on  Willie,  my  son, 
And  see  that  he  come  to  me  speedilie ! 

25     "  Gar  warn  the  water,*  braid  and  wide, 
Gar  warn  it  sune  and  hastilie  ! 
They  that  winna  ride  for  Telfer's  kye, 
Let  them  never  look  in  the  face  of  me  1 

2G     "  Warn  Wat  o'  Harden,  and  his  sons,! 

With  them  will  Borthwick  Water  ride; 
Warn  Gaudilands,  and  AUanhaugh, 
And  Gilmanscleugh,  and  Commonside. 

27  "  Eide  by  the  gate  of  Priesthaughswire,  J 

And  warn  the  Currors  o'  the  Lea; 
As  ye  come  down  the  Hermitage  Slack, 
Warn  doughty  Willie  o'  Gorrinberry." 

28  The  Scotts  they  rade,  the  Scotts  they  ran, 

Sae  starkly  and  sae  steadilie ! 
And  aye  the  ower-word  o'  the  thrang 
Was — "  Rise  for  Branksome  readilie ! "  ' 

29  The  gear  was  driven  the  Frostylee  up,  § 

Frae  the  Frostylee  unto  the  plain, 

When  Willie  has  look'd  his  men  before. 

And  saw  the  kye  right  fast  drivan'. 

*  The  water,  in  the  mountainous  districts  of  Scotland,  is  often  used  to  express  the 
banks  of  the  river,  which  are  the  only  inhabitable  parts  of  the  country.  To  raise 
the  water,  therefore,  was  to  alarm  those  who  lived  along  its  side. 

t  The  estates,  mentioned  in  this  verse,  belonged  to  families  of  the  name  of  Scott, 
residing  upon  the  waters  of  Borthwick  and  Teviot,  near  the  castle  of  their  chief. 

J  The  pursuers  seem  to  have  taken  the  road  through  the  hills  of  Liddesdale.  in 
order  to  collect  forces,  and  intercept  the  forayers  at  the  passage  of  the  Liddel,  on 
their  return  to  Bewcastle.  The  Eitterford  and  Kershope  ford,  after-mentioned, 
lire  noted  fords  on  the  river  Liddel. 

5  Tlie  Frostylee  is  a  brook  which  joins  the  Teviot  near  Mosspaul. 


5C8  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


30  "  Wlia  drives  thir  kye  ?  "  'gan  Willie  say, 

"  To  make  an  outspeckle  *  of  me  ?  " 
•'  It 's  I,  the  Captain  o'  Bewcastle,  Willie, 
I  winna  layne  my  name  for  thee." 

31  "  Oh,  will  ye  let  Telfer's  kye  gae  back  ? 

Or  will  ye  do  aught  for  regard  of  me  V 
Or  by  the  faith  of  my  body,"  quo'  Willie  Scott, 
"  I'se  ware  my  dame's  calf-skin  on  thee ! " 

32  "  I  winna  let  the  kye  gae  back. 

Neither  for  thy  love,  nor  yet  thy  fear; 
But  I  will  drive  Jamie  Telfer's  kye, 
In  spite  of  every  Scott  that's  here." 

33  "  Set  on  them,  lads ! "  quo'  Willie  then; 

"  Fye,  lads,  set  on  them  cruellie ! 
For  ere  they  win  to  the  Eitterford, 
Mony  a  toom  f  saddle  there  shall  be  ! " 

34  Then  til't  they  gaed,  with  heart  and  hand, 

The  blows  fell  fast  as  bickering  hail ; 
And  mony  a  horse  ran  masterless. 
And  mony  a  comely  cheek  was  pale. 

35  But  Willie  was  stricken  o'er  the  head, 

And  thro'  the  knapcap  J  the  sword  has  gane; 
And  Harden  grat  for  very  rage,  § 
When  Willie  on  the  grund  lay  slain. 

*  "Outspeckle:"  laughing-stock. 

t  "  Toom : "  empty. 

X  "  Knapcap : "  headpiece. 

5  Of  this  Border  laird,  commonly  called  Auld  Wat  of  Harden,  tradition  has  pre- 
Berved  many  anecdotes.  He  was  married  to  Mary  Scott,  celebrated  in  song  by  tlie 
title  of  the  Flower  of  Yarrow.  By  their  marriage-contract,  the  father-in-law,  Philip 
Scott  of  Dryhope,  was  to  find  Harden  in  horse  meat,  and  man's  meat,  at  his  Tower 
of  Dryhope,  for  a  year  and  a  day;  but  five  barons  pledge  themselves  that,  at  the 
expiry  of  that  period,  the  son-in-law  should  remove,  without  attempting  to  continue 
in  possession  by  force!  A  notary-public  sigried  for  all  the  parties  to  the  deed,  none 
of  whom  could  write  their  names.  The  original  is  still  in  the  charter-room  of  the 
present  Mr.  Scott  of  Harden.  By  the  Flower  of  Yarrow  the  Laird  of  Harden  had 
six  sons ;  five  of  whom  survived  him,  and  founded  the  famiUes  of  Harden  (now 
extinct),  Highchesters  (now  representing  Harden),  Eeaburn,  Wool,  and  Synton. 
The  sixth  son  was  slain  at  a  fray,  in  a  hunting-match,  by  the  Scotts  of  Gilmans- 
cleugh.  His  brothers  flew  to  arms ;  but  the  old  laird  secured  them  in  the  dungeon  of 
his  tower,  hurried  to  Edinburgh,  stated  the  crime,  and  obtained  a.  gift  of  the  lands 
of  the  offenders  from  the  Crown.  He  returned  to  Harden  with  equal  speed,  released 
his  sons,  and  showed  them  the  charter.  "  To  horse,  lads ! "  cried  the  savage  warrior, 
"and  let  us  take  possession!  The  lands  of  Gilmansoleugh  are  well  worih  a  dead 
son."  The  property  thus  obtained,  continued  in  the  family  till  the  beginning  of  last 
century,  when  it  was  sold,  by  John  Scott  of  Harden,  to  Ann,  Duchess  of  Buccleuch. 
A  beautiful  baUad,  founded  on  this  tradition,  occurs  in  the  Mountain  Bard,  a  collec- 
tion of  legendary  poetry  by  Mr.  James  Hogg. 


JAMIE  TELFER  OF  THE  FAIR  DODHEAD.  569 


36  But  he 's  ta'en  aflf  his  gude  steel  cap, 

And  thrice  he 's  waved  it  in  the  air ; 

The  Dinlay  *  snaw  was  ne'er  mair  white 

Nor  the  lyart  locks  of  Harden's  hair. 

37  "  Revenge  !  revenge !  "  auld  Wat  'gan  cry; 

"  Fye,  lads,  lay  on  them  cruellie ! 
We'll  ne'er  see  Teviotside  again. 
Or  Willie's  death  reveng'd  shall  be."  f 

38  Oh,  mony  a  horse  ran  masterless. 

The  splinter'd  lances  flew  on  hie; 
But  or  they  wan  to  the  Kershope  ford, 
The  Scotts  had  gotten  the  victory. 

39  John  o'  Brigham  there  was  slain,  % 

And  John  of  Barlow,  as  I  heard  say; 
And  thirty  mae  of  the  Captain's  men 
Lay  bleeding  on  the  grund  that  day. 

40  The  Captain  was  run  through  the  thick  of  the  thigh, 

And  broken  was  his  right  leg  bane ; 
If  he  had  lived  this  hundred  years. 

He  had  never  been  loved  by  woman  again. 

41  "  Ha'e  back  the  kye !  "  the  Captain  said; 

"  Dear  kye,  I  trow,  to  some  they  be  ! 
For  if  I  shou'd  live  a  hundred  years. 

There  will  ne'er  fair  ladye  smile  on  me." 

42  Then  word  is  gone  to  the  Captain's  bride, 

Even  in  the  bow'r  where  that  she  lay, 
That  her  lord  was  prisoner  in  enemy's  land, 
Since  into  Tividale  he  had  led  the  way. 

43  "  I  wad  lourd  §  have  had  a  winding-sheet, 

And  help'd  to  put  it  o'er  his  head, 
Ere  he  had  been  disgraced  by  the  Border  Scott, 
When  he  o'er  Liddel  his  men  did  lead !  " — 

•  The  Dinlay  is  a  mountain  in  Liddesdale. 

t  ["  Nothing  can  be  more  striking  than  the  picture  of  old  Harden,  in  the  flght  for 
Jamie  Telfer's  cattle." — Edinburgh  Review.} 

X  Perhaps  one  of  the  ancient  family  of  Brougham,  in  Cumberland.  The  editor  has 
used  some  freedom  with  the  original  in  the  subsequent  verse.  The  account  of  the 
Captain's  disaster  (teste  Imva  vulnerata)  is  rather  too  naive  for  literal  publication. 

5  "  Lourd: "  liefer;  rather. 


570  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND, 


44  There  was  a  wild  gallant  amang  us  all, 

His  name  was  Watty  with  the  Wudspurs,* 
Cried — "  On  for  his  house  in  Stanegirthside,"]" 
If  ony  man  will  ride  with  us ! " 

45  When  they  came  to  the  Stanegirthside, 

They  dang  with  trees,  and  burst  the  door; 
They  loosed  out  all  the  Captain's  kye, 
And  set  them  forth  our  lads  before. 

46  There  was  an  auld  wife  ayont  the  fire, 

A  wee  bit  of  the  Captain's  kin  : 
"  Wha  dare  loose  out  the  Captain's  kye. 
Or  answer  to  him  and  his  men?  " 

47  "  It 's  I,  Watty  Wudspurs,  loose  the  kye, 

I  winna  layne  my  name  frae  thee ! 
And  I  will  loose  out  the  Captain's  kye. 
In  scorn  of  all  his  men  and  he." 

48  When  they  came  to  the  fair  Dodhead, 

They  were  a  welcome  sight  to  see ! 
For  instead  of  his  ain  ten  milk  kye, 
Jamie  Telfer  has  gotten  thirty  and  three- 

49  And  he  has  paid  the  rescue  shot, 

Baith  with  gowd  and  white  monie ; 
And  at  the  burial  of  Willie  Scott, 
I  wat  was  mony  a  weeping  e'e.  J 


DICK  0'  THE  COW. 


"This  ballad,  and  the  two  which  immediately  follow  it  in  the 
collection,  were  first  pubhshed,  1784,  in  the  Hawick  Museum, 
a  provincial  miscellany,  to  which  they  were  communicated  by  John 
Elliot,  Esq.  of  Keidheugh,  a  gentleman  well  skilled  in  the  antiquities 
of  the  Western  Border,  and  to  whose  friendly  assistance  the  editor 
is  indebted  for  many  valuable  communications. 

•  "WndBpurs:"  hotspur,  ormadspnr. 

t  A  house  belonging  to  the  Foresters,  situated  on  the  English  side  of  the  LiddeL 

t  An  article  in  the  hst  of  attempts  upon  England,  fouled  by  (he  Commissioners  at 
1  erwick,  in  the  year  1587,  may  relate  to  the  subject  of  the  foregoing  ballad. 
October,  1582. 
"^omasMusgrave, deputy)    ^Walter  Scott,  Laird  of)    530  kine  and  oxen,  300 
of  Bewcastle,  and  the  ten-  V  Buckluth,  and  his   com-  ^        j^  ^^^^  sheep 
cnts,  against  )   plices;  for  )    ^  ^' 

—Introduction  to  the  Iliitory  of  Westmoreland  and  Cumberland,  p.  41. 


DICK   O'  THE  COW.  571 


"  These  ballads  are  connected  -with  each  other,  and  appear  to 
have  been  composed  by  the  same  author.  The  actors  seem  to  have 
flourished  while  Thomas  Lord  Scroope,  of  Bolton,  was  Warden  of 
the  West  Marches  of  England,  and  Governor  of  Carlisle  Castle; 
which  oflSces  he  acquired  upon  the  death  of  his  father,  about  1590, 
and  retained  tiU  the  union  of  the  crowns. 

"Dick  of  the  Cow,  from  the  privileged  insolence  which  he 
assumes,  seems  to  have  been  Lord  Scroope's  jester.  The  Border 
custom  of  assuming  nommes  de  guerre  is  exemplified  in  the  follow- 
ing ballad,  where  one  Armstrong  is  called  the  Laird's  Jock  {i.  e., 
the  Laird's  son  Jock),  another  fair  Johnnie,  a  third  BUlie  WiUie 
(brother  Willie),  &c.  The  Laird's  Jock,  son  to  the  Laird  of  Manger- 
touD,  appears,  as  one  of  the  men  of  name  in  Liddesdale,  in  the 
list  of  the  Border  clans,  1597. 

"  Dick  of  the  Cow  is  erroneously  supposed  to  have  been  the  same 
with  one  Eicardus  Coldall,  de  Plumpton,  a  knight  and  celebrated 
warrior,  who  died  in  1462,  as  appears  from  his  epitaph  in  the  church 
of  Penrith. — Nicholaon's  History  of  Westmoreland  and  Cumberland, 
vol  ii.,  p.  408. 

"  This  ballad  is  very  popular  in  Liddesdale,  and  the  reciter  always 
adds,  at  the  conclusion,  that  poor  Dickie's  cautious  removal  to  Burgh 
under  Stanemore,  did  not  save  him  from  the  clutches  of  the  Arm- 
strongs :  for  that,  having  fallen  into  their  power  several  years  after 
this  exploit,  he  was  put  to  an  inhuman  death.  The  ballad  was 
well  known  in  England  so  early  as  1596.  An  allusion  to  it  occurs 
in  Parrot's  Laquei- Jiidiculosi,  or  Springes  for  Woodcocks.  London, 
1613. 

'  Owenus  wondreth  since  he  came  to  Wales, 

What  the  description  of  this  isle  should  be, 
That  nere  had  seen  but  mountains,  hills  and  dales, 

Yet  would  he  boast,  and  stand  on  pedigree. 
From  Eice  ap  Richard,  sprung  from  Dick  a  Cow, 
Be  cod,  was  right  gud  gentleman,  look  ye  now ! ' — Epigr.  76.' 

— Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  j).  61. 

[Elsewhere,  Scott  writes : — "In  the  sixteenth  century,  these 
Northern  tales  appear  to  have  been  popular  even  in  London ;  for 
the  learned  Mr.  Ritson  has  obligingly  pointed  out  to  me  the  follow- 
ing passages,  respecting  the  noted  ballad  of  'Dick  o'  the  Cow  :' — 
'Dick  o'  the  Cow,  that  mad  demi-lance  Northern  Borderer,  who 
plaid  his  prizes  with  the  Lord  Jockey  so  bravely.'-— Nashe's  Have 
with  you  to  Saffren  Walden,  or  Gabriel  Harvey's  Hunt  is  up,  1596, 
4to.  Epistle  Dedicatorie,  sig.  A.2.6.  And  in  a  list  of  books,  printed 
for,  and  sold  by,  P.  Brocksby  (1668),  occurs  '  Dick-a-the-Cow, 
containing  North  Country  Songs.'  Could  this  collection  have  been 
found,  it  would  probably  have  thrown  much  light  on  the  present 
publication." — Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  vol.  i,  p.  222.] 

1     Now  Liddesdale  has  layen  lang  in, 
There  is  na  ryding  there  at  all; 
The  horses  are  all  grown  sae  lither  fat, 
They  downa  stir  out  of  the  stall. 


572  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  Fair  Johnnie  Armstrong  to  Willie  did  say, — 

"  Billie,  a-riding  we  will  gae  ; 
England  and  us  have  been  lang  at  feid; 
Aiblins  we'll  light  on  some  bootie." 

3  Then  they  are  come  on  to  Hutton  Ha'; 

They  rade  that  proper  place  about; 
But  the  laird  he  was  the  wiser  man, 
For  he  had  left  nae  gear  without. 

4  For  he  had  left  nae  gear  to  steal, 

Except  sax  sheep  upon  a  lea: 
Quo'  Johnnie — "  I'd  rather  in  England  dee, 
Ere  thir  sax  sheep  gae  to  Liddesdale  with  me. 

5  .  "  But  how  call  they  the  man  we  last  met, 

Billie,  as  we  came  o'er  the  knowe?  " 
"  That  same  he  is  an  innocent  fule, 

And  men  they  call  him  Dick  o'  the  Cow." 

6  "  That  fule  has  three  as  good  kye  of  his  ain 

As  there  are  in  all  Cumberland,  Billie,"  quo'  he: 
"  Betide  me  life,  betide  me  death, 

These  kye  shall  go  to  Liddesdale  with  me." 

7  Then  they  have  come  to  the  puir  fule's  house, 

And  they  ha'e  broken  his  walls  sae  wide; 
They  have  loosed  out  Dick  o'  the  Cow's  three  kye, 
And  ta'en  three  coverlets  frae  his  wife's  bed. 

8  Then  on  the  morn,  when  the  day  was  light. 

The  shouts  and  cries  raise  loud  and  hie : 
"  Oh,  haud  thy  tongue,  my  wife,"  he  says, 
"  And  of  thy  crying  l&t  me  be! 

9  "  Oh,  haud  thy  tongue,  my  wife,"  he  says, 

"  And  of  thy  crying  let  me  be; 
And  aye,  where  thou  hast  lost  ae  cow, 
In  gude  sooth  I  shall  bring  thee  three." 

10  Now  Dickie 's  gane  to  the  gude  Lord  Scroope, 

And  I  wat  a  drearie  fule  was  he  : 
"  Now  haud  thy  tongue,  my  fule,"  he  says, 
"  For  I  may  not  stand  to  jest  with  thee." 

11  "  Shame  fall  your  jesting,  my  lord ! "  quo'  Dickie, 

"For  nae  sic  jesting  'grees  with  me; 
Liddesdale 's  been  in  my  house  last  night. 
And  they  ha'e  awa  my  three  kye  frae  me. 


DICK   O'  THE   COW.  573 


12  "  But  I  may  nae  longer  in  Cumberland  dwell, 

To  be  your  puir  fule  and  your  leal, 
Unless  you  gi'e  me  leave,  my  lord, 
To  gae  to  Liddesdale  and  steal." 

13  "  I  gi'e  thee  leave,  my  fule!  "  he  says; 

"  Thou  speakest  against  my  honour  and  me. 
Unless  thou  gi'e  me  thy  trowth  and  thy  hand, 
Thou'lt  steal  frae  nane  but  wha  stole  frae  thee." 

14  "  There  is  my  trowth,  and  my  right  hand ! 

My  head  shall  hang  on  Hairibee, 
I'll  ne'er  cross  Carlisle  sands  again, 
If  I  steal  frae  a  man  but  wha  stole  frae  me." 

15  Dickie 's  ta'en  leave  of  lord  and  master; 

I  wat  a  merry  fule  was  he! 
He 's  bought  a  bridle  and  a  pair  of  new  spurs, 
And  pack'd  them  up  in  his  breek  thie.* 

16  Then  Dickie 's  come  on  to  Pudding-burn  house,f 

E'en  as  fast  as  he  might  dree ;  J 
Then  Dickie 's  come  on  to  Pudding-burn, 

Where  there  were  thirty  Armstrangs  and  three. 

17  "Oh,  what's  this  come  of  me  now?"  quo'  Dickie; 

"  What  meikle  wae  is  this  ?  "  quo'  he; 
"  For  here  is  but  ae  innocent  fule. 
And  there  are  thirty  Armstrangs  and  three." 

18  Yet  he  has  come  up  to  the  fair  hall  board  ; 

Sae  well  he 's  become  his  courtesie  ! 

"  Well  may  ye  be,  my  gude  laird's  Jock, 

But  the  deil  bless  all  your  companie. 

19  "  I'm  come  to  'plain  of  your  man,  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang, 

And  syne  of  his  billie  Willie,"  quo'  he ; 
"  How  they've  been  in  my  house  last  night, 
And  they  ha'e  ta'en  my  three  kye  frae  me." 

20  "  Ha  1 "  quo'  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang,  "  we  will  him  hang." 

"  Na,"  quo'  Willie,  "  we  will  him  slay." 
Then  up  and  spake  another  young  Armstrang, 
"  We'll  gi'e  him  his  batts,  and  let  him  gae."  § 

•  "  Breek  thie : "  the  side  pocket  of  his  breeches. 

t  This  was  a  house  of  strength  held  by  the  Armstrongs.    The  rnins  at  present 
fonn  a  sheepfold  on  the  farm  of  Reidsmoss,  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Buceleuch. 
t  "  Dree:  "  t.  e.,  endure. 
§  "Gi'e  him  his  batts,  and  let  him  gae:  "  dismiss  him  with  a  beating. 


574  BALLAD  MINSTEELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


21  But  up  and  spake  the  gude  laird's  Jock, 

The  best  falla  in  all  the  companie  : 
"  Sit  down  thy  ways  a  little  while,  Dickie, 
And  a  piece  of  thy  aiu  cow's  hough  I'll  gi'e  ye." 

22  But  Dickie's  heart  it  grew  sae  grit. 

That  the  ne'er  a  bit  o't  he  dought  to  eat ; 
Then  he  was  aware  of  an  auld  peat-house, 
Where  all  the  night  he  thought  for  to  sleep. 

23  Then  Dickie  was  aware  of  an  auld  peat-house, 

Where  all  the  night  he  thought  for  to  lye ; 
And  all  the  prayers  the  puir  fule  prayed. 

Were — "I  wish  I  had  amends  for  my  gude  three  kye!" 

24  It  was  then  the  use  of  Pudding-burn  house, 

And  the  house  of  Mangerton,*  all  hail, 
Them  that  came  na  at  the  first  call, 
Gat  nae  mair  meat  till  the  neist  meal. 

25  The  lads,  that  hungry  and  weary  were, 

Abune  the  door-head  they  threw  the  key; 
Dickie  he  took  gude  notice  of  that ; 

Says — "  There  will  be  a  bootie  for  me." 

26  Then  Dickie  has  into  the  stable  gane, 

Where  there  stood  thirty  horses  and  three ; 
He  has  tied  them  all  with  St.  Mary's  knot, 
All  these  horses  but  barely  three. f 

27  He  has  tied  them  all  with  St.  Mary's  knot. 

All  these  horses  but  barely  three  ; 
He 's  loupen  on  ane,  ta'en  another  in  hand, 
And  away  as  fast  as  he  can  hie. 

28  But  on  the  morn,  when  the  day  grew  light. 

The  shouts  and  cries  rose  loud  and  hie ; 
"  Ah  !  wha  has  done  this  ?  "  quo'  the  gude  laird's  Jock, 
Tell  me  the  truth  and  the  veritie! 

29  "  Wha  has  done  this  deed?"  quo'  the  gude  laird's  Jock; 

"  See  that  to  me  ye  dinna  lie!  " 
'  Dickie  has  been  in  the  stable  last  night, 
And  has  ta'en  my  brother's  horse  and  mine  frae  me." 

•  The  Laird  of  Mangerton  was  chief  of  the  clan  Armstrong. 

t  Hamstringing  a  horse  is  termed,  in  the  Border  dialect,  tying  him  with  St.  Mary's 
knot.  Dickie  used  this  cruel  expedient  to  prevent  a  pursuit.  It  appears  from  the 
narration,  that  the  horses  left  unhurt  belonged  to  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang,  his  brother 
WilUe,  and  the  laird's  Jock;  of  which  Dickie  carried  off  two,  and  left  that  of  the 
laird's  Jock,  probably  out  of  gratitude  for  the  protection  he  had  afforded  him  on  his 
arrival. 


DICK  O'   THE   COW.  575 


30  "  Ye  wou'd  ne'er  be  tauld,"  quo'  the  gude  laird's  Jock; 

"Ha'e  ye  not  found  my  tales  fu'  leal? 
Ye  ne'er  wou'd  out  of  England  bide, 

Till  crooked,  and  blind,  and  all  wou'd  steal." 

31  "  But  lend  me-thy  bay,"  fair  Johnnie  'gan  say; 

"  There  's  nae  horse  loose  in  the  stable  save  he; 
And  I'll  either  fetch  Dick  o'  the  Cow  again, 
Or  the  day  is  come  that  he  shall  dee." 

32  "  To  lend  thee  my  bay !"  the  laird's  Jock  'gan  say; 

"  He  's  baith  worth  gowd  and  gude  monie : 
Dick  o'  the  Cow  has  awa  twa  horse, 
I  wish  na  thou  may  make  him  three." 

33  He  has  ta'en  the  laird's  jack  on  his  back, 

A  twa-handed  sword  to  hang  by  his  thie; 
He  has  ta'en  a  steel  cap  on  his  head, 
And  galloped  on  to  follow  Dickie. 

34  Dickie  was  na  a  mile  frae  aff  the  town, 

I  wat  a  mile  but  barely  three. 
When  he  was  o'erta'en  by  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang, 
Hand  for  hand,  on  Cannobie  lee.* 

35  "  Abide,  abide,  thou  traitor  thief! 

The  day  is  come  that  thou  maun  dee." 
Then  Dickie  look't  o'er  his  left  shouther, 

Said — "  Johnnie,  hast  thou  nae  mae  in  companie? 

36  "  There  is  a  preacher  in  our  chapell. 

And  all  the  live-lang  day  teaches  he : 
When  day  is  gane,  and  night  is  come. 
There 's  ne'er  a  word  I  mark  but  three. 

87     "  The  first  and  second  is — Faith  and  Conscience ; 
The  third — Ne'er  let  a  traitor  free  ; 
But,  Johnnie,  what  faith  and  conscience  was  thine, 
When  thou  took  awa  my  three  kye  frae  me  ? 

38  "  And  when  thou  had  ta'en  awa  my  three  kye, 

Thou  thought  in  thy  heart  thou  wast  not  weel  sped, 
Till  thou  sent  thy  billie  Willie  o'er  the  knowe, 
To  take  three  coverlets  off  my  wife's  bed ! " 

39  Then  Johnnie  let  a  spear  fall  laigh  by  his  thie, 

Thought  weel  to  ha'e  slain  the  innocent,  I  trow; 
But  the  powers  above  were  mair  than  he, 
For  he  ran  but  the  puir  fule's  jerkin  through. 

•  A  rising  ground  on  Cannobie,  on  the  Borders  of  Liddesdale. 


676  6ALLAD   MmSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


40  Together  they  ran,  or  ever  they  blan :  * 

This  was  Dickie  the  fule  and  he! 
Dickie  cou'd  na  win  at  him  with  the  blade  of  the  sword, 
But  fell'd  him  with  the  plummet  under  the  e'e. 

41  Thus  Dickie  has  fell'd  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang, 

The  prettiest  man  in  the  south  country  : 
"Gramercy!"  then  'gan  Dickie  say, 

"  I  had  but  twa  horse,  thou  hast  made  me  three  I" 

42  He 's  ta'en  the  steel  jack  aff  Johnnie's  back, 

The  twa-handed  sword  that  hung  low  by  his  thie; 
He  's  ta'en  the  steel  cap  aff  his  head, — 

"Johnnie,  I'll  tell  my  master  I  met  with  thee." 

43  When  Johnnie  wakened  out  of  his  dream, 

I  wat  a  drearie  man  was  he : 
"  And  is  thou  gane  ?    Now,  Dickie,  then 
The  shame  and  dule  is  left  with  me. 

44  "  And  is  thou  gane  ?    Now,  Dickie,  then 

The  deil  gae  in  thy  companie! 
For  if  I  shou'd  live  these  hundred  years, 
I  ne'er  shall  fight  with  a  fule  after  thee." 

45  Then  Dickie  's  come  hame  to  the  gude  Lord  Scroope, 

E'en  as  fast  as  he  might  hie : 
"  Now,  Dickie,  I'll  neither  eat  nor  drink, 
Till  hie  hanged  thou  shalt  be." 

46  "  The  shame  speed  the  liars,  my  lord !"  quo'  Dickie; 

"  This  was  na  the  promise  ye  made  to  me ! 
For  I'd  ne'er  gang  to  Liddesdale  to  steal, 
Had  I  not  got  my  leave  frae  thee." 

47  "  But  what  gar'd  thee  steal  the  laird's  Jock's  horse? 

And,  limmer,  what  gar'd  ye  steal  him?"  quo'  he; 
"  For  lang  thou  mightst  in  Cumberland  dwelt. 
Ere  the  laird's  Jock  had  stolen  frae  thee."f 

♦  "  Blan: "  blew,  breathed. 

t  The  commendation  of  the  laird's  Jock's  honesty  seems  but  indifferently  founded; 
for,  in  July,  1586,  a  bill  was  fouled  against  him,  Dick  of  Dryup,  and  others,  by  the 
deputy  of  Bewcastle,  at  a  warden  meeting,  for  400  head  of  cattle  taken  in  open 
foray  from  the  Drysike,  in  Bewcastle ;  and  in  September.  15S7,  another  complaint 
appears  at  the  instance  of  one  Andrew  Eutlege  of  the  Nook,  against  the  laird's 
Jock  and  his  accomplices,  for  fifty  kine  and  oxen,  besides  furniture  to  the  amount 
of  100  merks  sterling.  See  Bells  MSS.,  as  quoted  in  the  History  of  Cumberland  and 
Westmoreland.  In  Sir  Eichard  Maitland's  poem  against  the  thieves  of  Liddesdale, 
he  thtiB  commemorates  the  laird's  Jock: — 

"They  spuilye  puir  men  of  their  pakis. 

They  leif  them  nocht  on  bed  nor  bakis ; 

Baith  hen  and  cok, 

With  reil  and  rok. 

The  lairdis  Jock, 

All  with  him  takis." 


DICK  O'  THE  COW.  577 


48  "  Indeed,  I  wat  ye  lied,  my  lord ! 

And  e'en  sae  loud  as  I  hear  ye  lie  I 
I  wan  the  horse  frae  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang, 
Hand  to  hand,  on  Cannobie  lee. 

49  "  There  is  the  jack  was  on  his  back ; 

This  twa-handed  sword  hung  laigh  by  his  thie ; 
And  there's  the  steel  cap  was  on  his  head; 
I  brought  all  these  tokens  to  let  thee  see." 

50  "  If  that  be  true  thou  to  me  tells 

(And  I  think  thou  dares  na  tell  a  lie), 

I'll  gi'e  thee  fifteen  punds  for  the  horse, 

Weel  tauld  on  thy  cloak  lap  shall  be. 

51  "  I'll  gi'e  thee  ane  of  my  best  milk  kye, 

To  maintain  thy  wife  and  children  three ; 
And  that  may  be  as  gude,  I  think, 
As  ony  twa  of  thine  wou'd  be." 

52  "  The  shame  speed  the  liars,  my  lord !  "  quo'  Dickie; 

"  Trow  ye  aye  to  make  a  fule  of  me? 
I'll  either  ha'e  twenty  punds  for  the  gude  horse. 
Or  he  's  gae  to  Morton  fair  with  me." 

53  He  's  gi'en  him  twenty  punds  for  the  gude  horse, 

All  in  gowd  and  gude  monie; 
He 's  gi'en  him  ane  of  his  best  milk  kye. 
To  maintain  his  wife  and  children  three. 

64    Then  Dickie 's  come  down  thro'  Carlisle  toun, 
E'en  as  fast  as  he  cou'd  drie ; 
The  first  of  men  that  he  met  with 

Was  my  lord's  brother.  Bailiff  Glozenburrie. 

55     "  Weel  be  ye  met,  my  gude  Ralph  Scroope  !  " 
"  Welcome,  my  brother's  fule ! "  quo'  he  : 
"Where  didst  thou  get  fair  Johnnie  Armstrang's  horse?  " 
"  Where  did  1  get  him,  but  steal  him,"  quo'  he. 

Those  who  plundered  Dick  had  been  bred  np  raider  an  expert  teacher.  Tradition 
reports  that  the  laird's  Jock  survived  to  extreme  old  age,  when  he  died  in  the 
following  extraordinary  manner.  A  challenge  had  been  given  by  an  Englishman, 
named  Forster,  to  any  Scottish  Borderer,  to  flsht  him  at  a  place  called  Kershopefoot, 
exactly  upon  the  Borders.  The  laird's  Jock's  only  son  accepted  the  defiance,  and 
was  armed  by  his  father  with  his  own  two-handed  sword.  The  old  champion 
himself,  though  bedridden,  insisted  upon  being  present  at  the  battle.  He  was  borne 
to  the  place  appointed,  wrapped,  it  is  said,  in  blankets,  and  placed  upon  a  very  high 
stone  to  witness  the  conflict  In  the  duel  his  son  fell,  treacherously  slain,  as  the 
Scottish  tradition  afQnns.  The  old  man  gave  a  loud  yell  of  terror  and  despair  when 
he  saw  him  slain,  and  his  noble  weapon  won  by  an  Englishman,  and  died  as  they 
bore  him  home.  A  venerable  Border  poet  (though  of  these  latter  days)  hns  com- 
posed a  poem  on  this  romantic  incident.  The  stone  on  which  the  laird's  Jock  sat  to 
behold  the  duel  was  in  existence  till  wantonly  destroyed  a  year  or  two  since.  It 
was  always  called  The  Laird's  Jock's  Stone,  1802. 

2p 


678  BALLAD  MIXSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

66     "  But  wilt  thou  sell  me  the  bonnie  horse  ? 

And,  billie,  wilt  thou  sell  him  to  me?"  quo'  he: 
"Ay;  if  thou'lt  tell  me  the  monie  on  my  cloak  lap; 
For  there 's  never  ae  penny  I'll  trust  thee." 

57  "  I'll  gi'e  thee  ten  punds  for  the  gude  horse, 

Weel  tauld  on  thy  cloak  lap  they  shall  be ; 
And  I'll  gi'e  thee  ane  of  the  best  milk  kye, 
To  maintain  thy  wife  and  children  three." 

58  "  The  shame  speed  the  liars,  my  lord!"  quo'  Dickie; 

"  Trow  ye  aye  to  make  a  fule  of  me ! 
I'll  either  ha'e  twenty  punds  for  the  gude  horse, 
Or  he 's  gae  to  Morton  fair  with  me." 

69     He  's  gi'en  him  twenty  punds  for  the  gude  horse, 
Baith  in  gowd  and  gude  monie; 
He 's  gi'en  him  ane  of  his  milk  kye. 

To  maintain  his  wife  and  children  three. 

60  Then  Dickie  lap  a  loup  full  hie, 

And  I  wat  a  loud  laugh  laughed  he  : 
"  I  wish  the  neck  of  the  third  horse  was  broken, 
If  ony  of  the  twa  were  better  than  he ! " 

61  Then  Dickie  's  come  hame  to  his  wife  again; 

Judge  ye  how  the  puir  fule  had  sped ! 
He  has  gi'en  her  twa  score  English  punds, 
For  the  three  auld  coverlets  ta'en  aff  her  bed. 

62  "  And  take  thee  these  twa  as  gude  kye, 

I  trow,  as  all  thy  three  might  be  ; 
And  yet  here  is  a  white-footed  nagie, 
I  trow  he'll  carry  baith  thee  and  me. 

63  "  But  I  may  nae  langer  in  Cumberland  bide ; 

The  Armstrangs  they  wou'd  hang  me  hie." 
So  Dickie 's  ta'en  leave  of  lord  and  master. 
And  at  Burgh-under-Stanmuir  there  dwells  he. 


JOCK  0'  THE  SIDE. 

"The  subject  of  this  ballad  being  a  common  event  in  those 
troublesome  and  disorderly  times,  became  a  favourite  theme  of  the 
ballad-makers.     There  are  in  this  collection  no  fewer  than  three 


JOCK  O'  THE  SIDE.  579 


poems  on  the  rescue  of  prisoners,  the  incidents  in  which  nearly 
resemble  each  other  ;  though  the  poetical  description  is  so  different, 
that  the  editor  did  not  think  himself  at  liberty  to  reject  any  of 
them,  as  borrowed  from  the  others.  As,  however,  there  are  several 
verses,  which,  in  recitation,  are  common  to  all  these  three  songs, 
the  editor,  to  prevent  unnecessary  and  disagreeable  repetition,  has 
used  the  freedom  of  appropriating  them  to  that  in  which  they  seem 
to  have  the  best  poetic  effect. 

"  The  reality  of  this  story  rests  solely  upon  the  foundation  of 
tradition.  Jock  o'  the  Side  seems  to  have  been  nephew  to  the 
laird  of  Mangertoun,  cousin  to  the  laird's  Jock,  one  of  his  deliverers, 
and  probably  brother  to  Christie  of  the  Syde,  mentioned  in  the  list 
of  Border  clans,  1597.  Like  the  laird's  Jock,  he  also  is  commem- 
orated by  Sir  Richard  Maitland  : — 

'He  is  weil  uend,  Johne  of  the  Syde, 
A  greater  thief  did  never  ryde; 
He  nevir  tyris, 
For  to  hrek  byris. 
Our  muir  and  myris 
Ouir  gude  ane  guid,'  && 

"  Jock  o'  the  Side  appears  to  have  assisted  the  Earl  of  Westmore- 
land in  his  escape  after  his  unfortunate  insurrection  with  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland,  in  the  twelfth  year  of  Elizabeth.  '  The  two 
rebellious  rebels  went  into  Liddesdale  in  Scotland,  yesternight, 
where  Martin  EUwood  [Elliot]  and  others,  that  have  given  pledges 
to  the  Regent  of  Scotland,  did  raise  their  forces  against  them ;  being 
conducted  by  Black  Ormeston,  an  outlaw  of  Scotland,  that  was  a 
principal  murtherer  of  the  King  of  Scots,  where  the  tight  was  offered, 
and  both  parties  alighted  from  their  horses ;  and,  in  the  end,  Ell- 
wood  said  to  Ormeston,  he  would  be  sorry  to  enter  deadly  feud  with  him 
by  bloodshed ;  but  he  would  charge  him  and  the  rest  before  the  regent 
for  keeping  of  the  rebels;  and  if  he  did  not  jmt  them  out  of  the 
country,  the  next  day,  he  would  doe  his  worst  again  them  ;  where- 
upon the  two  earls  were  driven  to  leave  Liddesdale,  and  to  fly  to  one 
of  the  Armstrongs,  a  Scott  upon  the  batable  [debateable]  land  on 
the  Borders  between  Liddesdale  and  England.  The  same  day  the 
Liddesdale  men  stole  the  horses  of  the  Countess  of  Northumberland, 
and  of  her  two  women,  and  ten  others  of  their  company ;  so  as,  the 
earls  being  gone,  the  lady  of  Northumberland  was  left  there  on  foot, 
at  John  o'  the  Side's  house,  a  cottage  not  to  be  compared  to  many 
a  dog-kennel  in  England.  At  their  departing  from  her,  they  went 
not  above  fifty  horse,  and  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland,  to  be  the  more 
unknown,  changed  his  coat  ot  plate  and  sword  with  John  o'  the  Side, 
and  departed  hke  a  Scottish  BoYderer.^ ^Advertisements  from  Hex- 
ham, 22d  December,  1569,  in  the  Cabala,  p.  160." — ^coWs  Minstrelsy, 
voL  ii.,  p.  76. 

1     Now  Liddesdale  has  ridden  a  raid, 

But  I  wat  they  had  better  ha'e  staid  at  hame; 
For  Michael  o'  Winfield  he  is  dead, 
And  Jock  o'  the  Side  is  prisoner  ta'en. 


580  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  For  Mangerton  house  Lady  Downie  has  gane, 

Her  coats  she  has  kilted  up  to  her  knee; 
And  down  the  water  with  speed  she  rins, 
While  tears  in  spates  fall  fast  frae  her  e'e. 

3  Then  up  and  spoke  her  gude  auld  lord, — 

"  What  news,  what  news,  sister  Downie,  to  me?" 
"  Bad  news,  bad  news,  my  Lord  Mangerton; 
Michael  is  killed,  and  they  ha'e  ta'en  ray  son  Johnnie." 

4  "  Ne'er  fear,  sister  Downie,"  quo'  Mangerton; 

"  I  have  yokes  of  owsen,  eighty  and  three; 
My  barns,  my  byres,  and  my  faulds,  all  well  fill'd, 
I'll  part  with  them  all  ere  Johnnie  shall  die. 

5  "  Three  men  I'll  send  to  set  him  free. 

All  harneist  with  the  best  of  steel ; 
The  English  louns  may  hear,  and  drie 
The  weight  of  their  braidswords  to  feel. 

6  "  The  laird's  Jock  ane,  the  laird's  Wat  twa, 

0  Hobbie  Noble,  thou  ane  maun  be ! 
Thy  coat  is  blue,  thou  hast  been  true, 
Since  England  banished  thee,  to  me." 

7  Now,  Hobbie  was  an  English  man, 

In  Bewcastle-dale  was  bred  and  born; 
But  his  misdeeds  they  were  sae  great, 
They  banished  him  ne'er  to  return. 

8  Lord  Mangerton  then  orders  gave, — 

"  Your  horses  they  wrang  way  maun  be  shod ; 
Like  gentlemen  ye  maunna  seem, 

But  look  like  corn-cadgers  *  ga'en  the  road. 

9  "  Your  armour  gude  ye  maunna  shaw, 

Nor  yet  appear  like  men  of  weir; 
As  country  lads  be  all  array'd, 

With  branks  and  brecham  f  on  each  mare." 

10  Sae  now  their  horses  are  the  wrang  way  shod, 

And  Hobbie  has  mounted  his  gray  sae  fine, 
Jock  his  lively  bay,  Wat 's  on  his  white  horse  behind, 
And  on  they  rode  for  the  water  of  Tyne. 

11  At  the  Cholerford  J  they  all  light  down. 

And  there,  with  the  help  of  the  light  of  the  moon, 
A  tree  they  cut,  with  fifteen  nogs  on  each  side, 
To  climb  up  the  wall  of  Newcastle  toun. 

"■  '•  Cadgers :  "  carriers. 

t  "  Branks  and  brecham ; "  halter  and  cart-collar. 

i  Cholerford  is  a  ford  on  the  Tyne,  above  Hexham. 


JOCK  O'  THE  SIDE.  581 


12  But  when  they  came  to  Newcastle  toun, 

And  were  alighted  at  the  wall, 
They  fand  their  tree  three  ells  o'er  laigh, 
They  fand  their  stick  baith  short  and  small. 

13  Then  up  spake  the  laird's  ain  Jock, — 

"  There  's  naething  for't;  the  gates  we  maun  force." 
But  when  they  came  the  gate  until, 
A  proud  porter  withstood  baith  men  and  horse. 

14  His  neck  in  twa  the  Armstrangs  wrang; 

With  foot  or  hand  he  ne'er  play'd  pa! 
His  life  and  his  keys  at  ance  they  ha'e  ta'en, 
And  cast  his  body  ahint  the  wa'. 

15  Now  sune  they  reached  Newcastle  jail. 

And  to  the  prisoner  thus  they  call: 
"  Sleeps  thou,  wakes  thou,  Jock  o'  the  Side, 
Or  art  thou  weary  of  thy  thrall?" 

16  Jock  answers  thus,  with  doleful  tone: 

"Aft,  aft  I  wake — I  seldom  sleep; 
But  wha  's  this  kens  my  name  sae  weel. 
And  thus  to  mese*  my  waes  does  seek?" 

17  Then  out  and  spake  the  gude  laird's  Jock : 

"  Now  fear  ye  na,  my  billie,"  quo'  he; 
"  For  here  are  the  laird's  Jock,  the  laird's  Wat, 
And  Hobbie  Noble,  come  to  set  thee  free." 

18  *'  Now  hand  thy  tongue,  my  gude  laird's  Jock, 

For  ever,  alas!  this  canna  be; 
For  if  all  Liddesdale  were  here  the  night, 
The  morn  's  the  day  that  I  maun  die. 

19  "  Full  fifteen  stane  of  Spanish  iron, 

They  ha'e  laid  all  right  sair  on  me; 
With  locks  and  keys  I  am  fast  bound 
Into  this  dungeon,  dark  and  drearie." 

20  "  Fear  ye  na  that,"  quo'  the  laird's  Jock; 

"  A  faint  heart  ne'er  wan  a  fair  ladye; 
Work  thou  within,  we'll  work  without, 
And  I'll  be  sworn  we'll  set  thee  free." 

21  The  first  strong  door  that  they  came  at, 

They  loosed  it  without  a  key; 
The  next  chain'd  door  that  they  came  at, 
They  gar'd  it  all  to  flinders  flee. 

*  "Mese:"  soothe. 


582  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


22  The  prisoner  now  upon  his  back 

The  laird's  Jock  has  gotten  up  full  hie; 
And  down  the  stairs,  him,  aims  and  all, 
With  nae  small  speed  and  joy  brings  he. 

23  "  Now,  Jock,  my  man,"  quo'  Hobbie  Noble, 

"  Some  of  his  weight  ye  may  lay  on  me." 
"  I  wat  weel  no,"  quo'  the  laird's  ain  Jock, 
"  I  count  him  lighter  than  a  flee." 

24  Sae  out  at  the  gates  they  all  are  gane, 

The  prisoner 's  set  on  horseback  hie; 
And  now  with  speed  they've  ta'en  the  gate, 
While  ilk  ane  jokes  full  wantonlie. 

25  "  0  Jock!  sae  winsomely  ye  ride. 

With  baith  your  feet  upon  ae  side ; 
Sae  weel  ye're  harneist,  and  sae  trig, 
In  troth  ye  sit  like  ony  bride ! " 

26  The  night,  tho'  wat,  they  did  na  mind, 

But  hied  them  on  full  merrilie. 
Until  they  came  to  Cholerford  brae, 
Where  the  water  ran  like  mountains  hie. 

27  But  when  they  came  to  Cholerford, 

There  they  met  with  an  auld  man; 
Says — "Honest  man,  will  the  water  ride? 
Tell  us  in  haste,  if  that  ye  can." 

28  "  I  wat  weel  no,"  quo'  the  gude  auld  man; 

"  I  ha'e  lived  here  thretty  years  and  three, 
And  I  ne'er  saw  the  Tyne  sae  big. 
Nor  running  ance  sae  like  the  sea." 

29  Then  out  and  spake  the  laird's  saft  Wat, 

The  greatest  coward  in  the  companie, — 
"  Now  halt,  now  halt!  we  needna  try't, 
The  day  is  come  we  all  maun  die ! " 

30  "Puir  faint-hearted  thief!"  cried  the  laird's  ain  Jock, 

"  There'll  nae  man  die  but  him  that 's  fey; 
ril  guide  ye  all  right  safely  thro'; 
Lift  ye  the  pris'ner  on  ahint  me." 

31  With  that  the  water  they  ha'e  ta'en. 

By  aue's  and  twa's  they  all  swam  thro'; 
"  Here  are  we  all  safe,"  quo'  the  laird's  Jock ; 
"And,  puir  faint  Wat,  what  think  ye  now?" 


HOBBIE  NOBLE.  583 


32  They  scarce  the  other  brae  had  won, 

When  twenty  men  they  saw  pursue ; 

Frae  Newcastle  toun  they  had  been  sent, 

All  English  lads  baith  stout  and  true. 

33  But  when  the  land-sergeant  *  the  water  saw, 

"  It  winna  ride,  my  lads,"  says  he ; 
Then  cried  aloud — "  The  prisoner  take, 
But  leave  the  fetters,  I  pray,  to  me." 

34  "I  wat  weel  no,"  quo'  the  laird's  ain  Jock, 

"I'll  keep  them  all;  shoon  to  my  mare  they'll  be,- 
My  gude  bay  mare;  for  I  am  sure, 

She  has  bought  them  all  right  dear  frae  thee." 

35  Sae  now  they  are  on  to  Liddesdale, 

E'en  as  fast  as  they  cou'd  them  hie; 
The  prisoner  is  brought  to 's  ain  fireside, 
And  there  o's  aims  they  make  him  free. 

36  "  Now,  Jock,  my  billie,"  quo'  all  the  three, 

"  The  day  is  comed  thou  was  to  dee  ; 
But  thou  's  as  weel  at  thy  ain  ingle-side, 
Now  sitting,  I  think,  'twixt  thee  and  me." 


HOBBIE  NOBLE. 


"We  have  seen  the  hero  of  this  ballad  act  a  distinguished  part  in 
the  deliverance  of  Jock  o'  the  Side,  and  are  now  to  learn  the  un- 
grateful return  which  the  Armstrongs  made  him  for  his  faithful 
services,  "j"    Halbert,  or  Hobbie  Noble,  appears  to  have  been  one  of 

*  The  land-sergeant  (mentioned  also  In  "Hobbie  Noble  ")  was  an  officer  under  the 
warden,  to  whom  was  committed  the  apprehending  of  delinquents,  and  the  care  of 
the  public  peace. 

t  The  original  editor  of  the  Reliques  of  Ancient  Poetry  has  noticed  the  perfidy  of 
this  clan  in  another  instance;  the  delivery  of  the  banished  Earl  of  Northumberland 
into  the  hands  of  the  Scottish  Regent,  by  Hector  of  Harelaw,  an  Armstrong,  with 
whom  he  had  taken  refuge. — Percy,  vol.  i.,  p.  283.  This  Hector  of  Harelaw  seems 
to  have  been  an  Englishman,  or  under  English  assurance,  for  he  is  one  of  those 
against  whom  bills  wpre  exhibited  by  the  Scottish  commissioners,  to  the  Lord 
Bishop  of  Carlisle. — Introduction  to  the  Ilistoru  of  Westmoreland  and  Cumberland,  p. 
81.  In  the  list  of  Borderers,  l.i97.  Hector  of  Harelaw,  with  the  Griefs  and  Cuts  of 
Harelaw,  also  figures  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  Debateable  Land.  It  would  appear, 
from  a  spirited  invective,  in  the  Maitland  MS.,  against  the  Eegent,  and  those  who 
delivered  up  the  unfortunate  earl  to  Elizabeth,  that  Hector  had  been  guilty  of  this 
treachery,  to  redeem  the  pledge  which  had  been  exacted  from  him  for  his  peaceable 
demeanour.  The  poet  says,  that  the  perfidy  of  Morton  and  Lochlevin  was  worse 
than  even  that  of — 

"  The  traitour  Eckie  of  Harelaw, 

That  says  he  sould  him  to  redeem  his  pledge; 
Tour  deed  is  war,  as  all  the  world  does  know — 
You  nothing  can  but  covatice  allege." 

— Pinkerton's  Maitland  Poems,  vol.  i.,  p.  290. 

Eckle  is  the  contraction  of  Hector  among  the  vulgar. 

These  little  memoranda  may  serve  still  farther  to  illustrate  the  beautiful  ballads, 
upon  that  subject,  published  ia  the  Reliques. 


584  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF   SCOTLAND. 


those  numerous  English  outlaws,  who,  being  forced  to  fly  their  own 
country,  had  established  themselves  on  the  Scottish  Borders.  As 
Hobbie  continued  his  depredations  upon  the  English,  they  bribed 
some  of  his  hosts,  the  Armstrongs,  to  decoy  him  into  England  under 
pretence  of  a  predatory  expedition.  He  was  there  delivered,  by  his 
treacherous  companions,  into  the  hands  of  the  officers  of  justice,  by 
whom  he  was  conducted  to  Carlisle,  and  executed  next  morning. 
The  Laird  of  Mangertoun,  with  whom  Hobbie  was  in  high  favour, 
is  said  to  have  taken  a  severe  revenge  upon  the  traitors  who  betrayed 
him.  The  principal  contriver  of  the  scheme,  called  here  Sim  o'  the 
Maynes,  fled  into  England  from  the  resentnient  of  his  chief ;  but  ex- 
perienced there  the  common  fate  of  a  traitor,  being  himself  executed 
at  Carlisle,  about  two  months  after  Hobble's  death.  Such  is,  at  least, 
the  tradition  of  Liddesdale.  Sim  o'  the  Maynes  appears  among  the 
Armstrongs  of  Whitauch,  in  Liddesdale,  in  the  list  of  Clans  so  often 
alluded  to." — Scotf  a  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  p.  90. 

1  Foul  fa'  the  breast  first  Treason  bred  in ! 

That  Liddesdale  may  safely  say; 
For  in  it  there  was  baith  meat  and  drink, 
And  corn  unto  our  geldings  gay. 

2  And  we  were  all  stout-hearted  men, 

As  England  she  might  often  say; 
But  now  we  may  turn  our  backs  and  flee. 
Since  brave  Noble  is  sold  away. 

3  Now  Hobbie  was  an  English  man, 

And  born  in  Bewcastle  dale ; 
But  his  misdeeds  they  were  so  great, 
They  banish'd  him  to  Liddesdale. 

4  At  Kershope-foot  the  tryste  was  set, 

Kershope  of  the  Hlye  lee ;  * 
And  there  was  traitour  Sim  o'  the  Mains,  ■!• 
And  with  him  a  private  companie. 

5  Then  Hobbie  has  graithed  his  body  fair, 

Baith  with  the  iron  and  with  the  steel; 
And  he  has  ta'en  out  his  fringed  gray, 

And  there,  brave  Hobbie,  he  rade  him  weel. 

6  Then  Hobbie  is  down  the  water  gane, 

E'en  as  fast  as  he  cou'd  hie ; 
Tho'  all  shou'd  ha'e  burstea  and  broken  their  hearts, 
Frae  that  riding-tryst  he  wou'd  na  be. 

♦  Kershope-burn,  where  Hobbie  met  his  treacherous  companions,  falls  into  the 
Liddel,  from  the  English  side,  at  a  place  called  Turnersholm,  where,  according  to 
tradition,  tourneys  and  games  of  chivalry  were  often  solemnized. 

t  The  Mains  was  anciently  a  Border  keep,  near  Castletown,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Liddel,  but  is  now  totally  demolished. 


HOBBIE  NOBLE.  585 


7  "  Well  be  ye  met,  my  feres  *  five! 

And  now,  what  is  your  will  with  me?  " 
Then  they  cried  all,  with  ae  consent, 

"  Thou'rt  welcome  here,  brave  Noble,  to  me. 

8  "  Wilt  thou  with  us  into  England  ride. 

And  thy  safe  warrand  we  will  be? 
If  we  get  a  horse  worth  a  hundred  pound, 
Upon  his  back  thou  sune  shall  be." 

9  "I  dare  not  by  day  into  England  ride ; 

The  land-sergeant  has  me  at  feid : 
And  I  know  not  what  evil  may  betide, 

For  Peter  of  Whitfield,  his  brother,  is  dead. 

10  "  And  Anton  Shie)  ho  loves  not  me, 

For  I  gat  twa  drifts  of  his  sheep ; 
The  great  Earl  of  Whitfield  f  loves  me  not, 
For  nae  gear  frae  me  he  e'er  cou'd  keep. 

11  "  But  will  ye  stay  till  the  day  gae  down. 

Until  the  night  come  o'er  the  ground. 
And  I'll  be  a  guide  worth  ony  twa 
That  may  in  Liddesdale  be  found? 

12  "  Though  the  night  be  black  as  pick  and  tar, 

I'll  guide  thee  o'er  yon  hill  sae  hie ; 
And  bring  ye  all  in  safety  back, 
If  ye'U  be  true  and  follow  me." 

13  He  has  guided  them  o'er  moss  and  muir. 

O'er  hill  and  hope,  and  mony  a  down, 
Until  they  came  to  the  Foulbogshiel, 
And  there,  brave  Noble,  he  lighted  down. 

li    But  word  is  gane  to  the  land-sergeant, 
In  Askerton  J  where  that  he  lay  : 
"  The  deer,  that  ye  ha'e  hunted  sae  lang, 
Is  seen  into  the  Waste  this  day." 

*  "  Feres : "  companions. 

t  Whitfield  is  explained  by  Mr.  Ellis  of  Otterbonme  to  be  a  large  and  rather 
■wild  manorial  district  in  the  extreme  south-west  part  of  Northumberland;  the 
proprietor  of  which  might  be  naturally  called  the  lord,  though  not  Earl  of  Whitfield. 
Sir  Matthew  Whitfield  of  Whitfield  was  Sheriff  of  Northumberland  in  U33,  and 
the  estate  continued  in  the  family  from  the  reign  of  Kichard  IL,  till  about  fifty 
years  since. 

t  Askerton  is  an  old  cistle,  now  ruinous,  situated  in  the  wilds  of  Cumberland, 
about  seventeen  miles  north-east  of  Carlisle,  amidst  that  mountainous  and  desolate 
tract  of  country  bordering  upon  Liddesdale,  emphatically  termed  the  Waste  of 
Bewcastle. 


586  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

15  "  The  Hobbie  Noble  is  that  deer ! 

I  wat  he  carries  the  style  full  hie ; 
Aft  has  he  driven  our  bluidhounds  back,* 
And  set  ourselves  at  little  lee. 

16  "  Gar  warn  the  bows  of  Hartlie-burn ; 

See  they  sharp  their  arrows  on  the  wall ! 
Warn  Willeva  and  Speir  Edom,  f 
And  see  the  morn  they  meet  me  all. 

17  "  Gar  meet  me  on  the  Koderic-haugh,  J 

And  see  it  be  by  break  of  day ; 
And  we  will  on  to  Conscouthart-green, 
For  there,  I  think,  we'll  get  our  prey." 

18  Then  Hobbie  Noble  has  dreamit  a  dream. 

In  the  Foulbogshiel  where  that  he  lay ; 
He  dreamit  his  horse  was  aneath  him  shot, 
And  he  himself  got  hard  away. 

19  The  cocks  'goud  §  craw,  the  day  'goud  daw, 

And  I  wot  sae  even  fell  down  the  rain; 
Had  Hobbie  na  wakened  at  that  time, 

In  the  Foulbogshiel  he  had  been  ta'en  or  slain. 

20  "  Awake,  awake,  my  feres  five ! 

I  trow  here  makes  a  full  ill  day ; 
Yet  the  worst  cloak  of  this  company, 
I  hope,  shall  cross  the  Waste  this  day." 

•  "  The  msset  bloodhound,  wont,  near  Annand's  stream. 
To  trace  the  sly  thief  with  avenging  foot. 
Close  as  an  evil  conscience  still  at  hand." 

Our  ancient  statutes  inform  us,  that  the  bloodhound  or  sluith-hound  (so  called 
from  its  quality  of  tracing  the  slot,  or  track,  of  men  and  animals)  was  early  used 
in  the  pursuit  and  detection  of  marauders.  JSuUvs  perturbet  ant  impediat  canem 
trassontem.  aut  homines  trassantes  cum  ipso,  ad  sequendum  latrones. — Regiam 
Majestatem,  lib.  4tus,  cap.  32.  And,  so  late  as  1616,  there  was  an  order  from  the 
king's  commissioners  of  the  northern  counties,  that  a  certain  number  of  slough- 
hounds  should  be  maintained  in  every  district  of  Cumberland,  bordering  upon 
Scotland.  They  were  of  great  value,  being  sometimes  sold  for  a  hundred  crowns. 
— Exposition  of  Bleau's  Atlas,  voce  Nitltsdale.  The  breed  of  this  sagacious  animal, 
which  could  trace  the  human  footstep  with  the  most  unerring  accm-acy,  is  now 
nearly  extinct. 

t  Willeva  and  Spelr  Edom  are  small  districts  in  Bewcastledale,  through  which 
also  the  Hartlie-burn  takes  its  course. 

X  Conscouthart-green,  and  Bodric-haugh,  and  the  Foulbogshiel,  are  the  names 
of  places  in  the  same  wilds,  through  which  the  Scottish  plunderers  generally 
made  their  raids  upon  England,  as  appears  from  the  foUowiag  passage  in  a  letter 
from  William,  Lord  Dacre,  to  Cardinal  Wolsey,  18th  July,  1528;  Appendix  to 
Pinkerton's  Scotland,  v.  12,  No.  XIX.  "  Like  it  also  your  grace,  seeing  the  disordour 
within  Scotlaund,  that  all  tbe  mysguyded  men.  Borderers  of  the  same,  inhabiting 
within  Eskdale,  Ewsdale,  Walghopedale,  Liddesdale  and  a  part  of  Tividale, 
foranempt  Bewcastelldale,  and  a  part  of  the  Middle  Marches  of  this  the  King's 
Bordoura,  entres  not  this  West  and  Middle  Marches,  to  do  any  attemptate  to  &e 
King  our  said  Soveraine's  subjects:  but  thaye  come  thorow  Bewcastelldale,  and 
retornes,  for  the  most  parte,  the  same  waye  agayne." 

§  "  Goud: "  i.  e.,  begoud;  began. 


HOBBIE  NOBLE,  587 


21  Now  Hobbie  thought  the  gates  were  clear ; 

But,  ever  alas !  it  was  na  sae ; 
They  were  beset  by  cruel  men  and  keen, 
That  away  brave  Hobbie  might  na  gae. 

22  "  Yet  follow  me,  my  feres  five, 

And  see  ye  keep  of  me  gude  ray ; 
And  the  worst  cloak  of  this  companie, 
Even  yet  may  cross  the  Waste  this  day." 

23  But  the  land-sergeant's  men  came  Hobbie  before, 

The  traitor  Sim  came  Hobbie  behin'; 
So  had  Noble  been  wight  as  Wallace  was, 
Away,  alas !  he  might  na  win. 

24  Then  Hobbie  had  but  a  laddie's  sword  ; 

But  he  did  mair  than  a  laddie's  deed ; 
For  that  sword  had  clear'd  Conscouthart-green, 
Had  it  not  broke  o'er  Jerswigham's  head. 

25  Then  they  ha'e  ta'en  brave  Hobbie  Noble, 

Wi  's  ain  bowstring  they  band  him  sae ; 
But  his  gentle  heart  was  ne'er  sae  sair, 

As  when  his  ain  five  bound  him  on  the  brao. 

26  They  ha'e  ta'en  him  on  for  West  Carlisle; 

They  ask'd  him  if  he  kenn'd  the  way? 
Though  much  he  thought,  yet  little  he  said; 
He  knew  the  gate  as  weel  as  they. 

27  They  ha'e  ta'en  him  up  the  Ricker-gate ;  * 

The  wives  they  cast  their  windows  wide; 
And  every  wife  to  another  can  say, 

"  That 's  the  man  loosed  Jock  o'  the  Side!" 

28  "  Fy  on  ye,  women !  why  call  ye  me  man  ? 

For  it 's  nae  man  that  I'm  used  like ; 
I  am  but  like  a  forfoughen  f  hound, 
Has  been  fighting  in  a  dirty  syke." 

29  They  ha'e  had  him  up  through  Carlisle  town. 

And  set  him  by  the  chimney  fire; 
They  gave  brave  Noble  a  loaf  to  eat, 
And  that  was!  ittle  his  desire. 

30  They  gave  him  a  wheaten  loaf  to  eat. 

And  after  that  a  can  of  beer  ; 
And  they  all  cried,  with  one  consent, 

"  Eat,  brave  Noble,  and  make  good  cheer. 

*  Kicker-gate: "  a  street  in  Carlisle, 
t  Forfoughen: "  quite  fatigued. 


688  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


31     "  Confess  my  lord's  horse,  Hobbie,"  they  said, 
"  And  to-morrow  in  Carlisle  thou's  na  dee." 
"  How  can  I  confess  them,"  Hobbie  saj-s, 
"  When  I  ne'er  saw  them  with  my  e'e?  " 

82  Then  Hobbie  has  sworn  a  full  great  aith, 

By  the  day  that  he  was  gotten  and  born, 
He  never  had  onything  of  my  lord's 
That  either  eat  him  grass  or  corn. 

83  '  Now  fare  thee  weel,  sweet  Mangerton  !  * 

For  I  think  again  I'll  ne'er  thee  see ; 
I  wou'd  ha'e  betray'd  nae  lad  alive. 
For  all  the  gowd  of  Christentie. 

84  "  And  fare  thee  weel,  sweet  Liddesdale! 

Baith  the  hie  land  and  the  law; 
Keep  ye  weel  frae  the  traitor  Mains! 
For  gowd  and  gear  he'll  sell  thee  a'. 

85  "  Yet  wou'd  I  rather  be  Hobbie  Noble, 

In  Carlisle  wba  sufl'ers  for  his  fau't. 
Than  I  wou'd  be  the  traitor  Mains, 
That  eats  and  drinks  of  the  meal  and  maut." 


ARCHIE  OF  CA'FIELD. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  voL  ii.,  p.  116. 

"  It  may  perhaps  be  thought,  that,  from  the  near  resemblance 
which  this  baUad  bears  to  '  ICinmont  Willie'  and  '  Jock  o'  the  Side,' 
the  editor  might  have  dispensed  with  inserting  it  in  this  Collection. 
But  although  the  incidents  in  these  three  ballads  are  almost  the 
same,  yet  there  is  considerable  variety  in  the  language ;  and  each 
contains  minute  particulars,  highly  characteristic  of  Border  manners, 
which  it  is  the  object  of  this  publication  to  illustrate.  Ca'lield,  or 
Calfield,  is  a  place  in  Wauchopdale,  belonging  of  old  to  the  Arm- 
strongs. In  the  account  betwixt  the  English  and  Scottish  Marches, 
Jock  and  Geordie  of  Ca'lield,  there  called  Calf-hill,  ai-e  repeatedly 
marked  as  delinquents. — History  of  Westmoreland  and  Cumberland, 
vol.  i.,  Introduction,  p.  33. 

•  Of  the  Castle  of  Mangerton,  so  often  mentioned  in  these  ballads,  there  are  very 
few  vestiges.  It  was  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Llddell,  below  Castletoun.  In 
the  wall  of  a  neighbouring  mill,  which  has  been  entirely  built  from  the  ruins  of  the 
tower,  there  is  a  lemarkable  stone,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  Lairds  of  Mangertoun, 
and  a  long  broadsword,  with  the  figures  1583,  probably  the  date  of  building  or 
repairing  the  castle.  On  each  side  of  the  shield  arc  the  letters  S.  A.  and  E.  E., 
standing  probably  for  Symon  Armstrong  and  Elizabeth  Elliott  Such  is  the  only 
memorial  of  the  Lairds  of  Mangertoun,  except  those  rude  ballads,  which  the  editor 
now  offers  to  the  public. 


ARCHIE  OF  CA'FIELD.  689 


"  The  editor  has  been  enabled  to  add  several  stanzas  to  this  ballad, 
since  publication  of  the  first  edition.  They  were  obtained  from 
recitation  ;  and,  as  they  contrast  the  brutal  indifference  of  the  elder 
brother  with  the  zeal  and  spiiit  of  his  associates,  they  add  consider- 
ably to  the  dramatijc  effect  of  the  whole." 

[A  North  Country  version,  under  the  title  of  "Billie  Archie,"  as 
communicated  by  Mr.  Buchan,  appears  in  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy, 
p.  335;  and  a  stiU  different  version,  under  the  title  of  "The  Three 
Brothers,"  is  given  by  Mr.  Buchan  in  his  Ancknt  Ballads,  vol.  i, 
p.  111.] 

1  As  I  was  a-walking  mine  alane, 

It  was  by  the  dawning  of  the  day, 
I  heard  twa  brithers  mak'  their  mane, 
And  I  listen'd  weal  to  what  they  did  say. 

2  The  youngest  to  the  eldest  said, — 

"  Blythe  and  merrie  how  can  we  Jpe  ? 
There  were  three  brithren  of  us  born, 
And  ana  of  us  is  condamn'd  to  dee." 

3  "  An  ye  wou'd  be  merrie,  an  ye  wou'd  be  sad, 

What  the  better  wou'd  billy  *  Archie  be  ? 
Unless  I  had  thirty  men  to  mysel', 
And  all  to  ride  in  my  companie. 

4  "  Tan  to  hald  the  horses'  heads, 

And  other  ten  the  watch  to  be, 
And  ten  to  break  up  the  strong  prison, 
Where  billy  Arcliie  he  does  lie." 

5  Then  up  and  spak'  him  mettled  John  Hallf 

(The  luve  of  Teviotdale  aye  was  he), — 
"  An  I  had  eleven  men  to  mysel', 
It 's  aye  the  twalt  man  I  wou'd  be." 

6  Then  up  bespak'  him  coarse  Ca'field 

(I  wot  and  little  gude  worth  was  he), — 
"  Thirty  men  is  few  anew. 

And  all  to  ride  in  our  companie." 

7  There  was  horsing,  horsing  in  haste, 

And  there  was  marching  on  the  lee, 
Until  tliey  came  to  Murraywhate, 

And  they  lighted  there  right  speadiUe. 

•"Billy:"  brother. 

t  Mettled  John  Hall,  from  the  Laiph  Teviotdale,  is  perhaps  John  Hall  of  New- 
bigging,  mentioned  in  the  list  of  Border  clans,  as  one  of  the  chief  men  of  name 
residing  on  the  Middle  Marches  in  1597. 


590  BALLAD  MINSTRELST  OF   SCOTLAND. 


8  "A  smith  !  a  smith !  "  Dickie  he  cries, 

"A  smith,  a  smith,  right  speedilie, 
To  turn  back  the  caukers  of  our  horses'  shoon ! 
For  it 's  unkensorae  *  we  wou'd  be." 

9  "  There  lives  a  smith  on  the  water-side, 

Will  shoe  my  little  black  mare  for  me ; 
And  I've  a  crown  in  my  pocket, 

And  every  groat  of  it  I  wou'd  gi'e." 

• 

10  "  The  night  is  mirk,  and  it 's  very  mirk, 

And  by  candle-light  I  canna  weel  see ; 
The  night  is  mirk,  and  it 's  very  pit  mirk. 
And  there  will  never  a  nail  ca'  right  for  me." 

11  "  Shame  fall  you  and  your  trade  baith, 

Canna  ^seet  f  a  good  fellow  by  your  mystery ;  J 
But  leeze  me  on  thee,  my  little  black  mare, 
Thou's  worth  thy  weight  in  gold  to  me." 

12  There  was  horsing,  horsing  in  haste, 

And  there  was  marching  upon  the  lee, 
Until  they  cam'  to  Dumfries  port, 

And  they  lighted  there  rigat  speedilie. 

13  "  There 's  five  of  us  will  hold  the  horse, 

And  other  five  will  watchmen  be ; 
But  wha  's  the  man  among  you  all. 

Will  gae  to  the  Tolbooth  door  with  me?" 

14  Oh,  up  then  spak'  him  mettled  John  Hall 

(Frae  the  laigh  Teviotdale  was  he), — 
"  If  it  shou'd  cost  my  life  this  very  night, 
I'll  gae  to  the  Tolbooth  door  with  thee." 

15  "  Be  of  gude  cheer,  now,  Archie,  lad ! 

Be  of  gude  cheer,  now,  dear  billie  ! 
Work  thou  within,  and  we  without, 

And  the  morn  thou's  dine  at  Ca'field  with  me." 

16  Oh,  Jockie  Hall  stepp'd  to  the  door, 

And  he  bended  low  back  his  knee. 
And  he  made  the  bolts  the  door  hang  on 
Loup  frae  the  wall  right  wantonlie. 

*  "Unkenaome:"  unknown. 

t  'Beet:  "  abet,  aid. 

J  "Mystery:"  trade.    (See  Shakefveare.) 


AECHIE  OF  CA'FIELD.  591 


17  He  took  the  prisoner  on  his  back, 

And  down  the  Tolbooth  stair  cam'  he : 
The  black  mare  stood  ready  at  the  door, — 
I  wot  a  foot  ne'er  stirred  she. 

18  They  laid  the  links  out  o'er  her  neck, 

And  that  was  her  gold  twist  to  be ;  • 
And  they  cam'  doun  thro'  Dumfries  toun, 
And  wow,  but  they  cam'  speedilie ! 

19  The  live-lang  night  these  twelve  men  rade, 

And  aye  till  they  were  right  wearie, 
Until  they  cam'  to  the  Murraywhate, 
And  they  lighted  there  right  speedilie. 

20  "  A  smith  !  a  smith ! "  then  Dickie  he  cries, 

"  A  smith,  a  smith,  right  speedilie. 
To  file  the  irons  frae  my  dear  brither ! 
For  forward,  forward  we  wou'd  be." 

21  They  hadna  filed  a  shackle  of  iron, 

A  shackle  of  iron  but  barely  three, 
When  out  and  spak'  young  Simon  brave, — 
"  Oh,  dinna  you  see  what  I  do  see  ? 

22  "  Lo !  yonder  comes  Lieutenant  Gordon, 

With  a  hundred  men  in  his  companie  ; 
This  night  will  be  our  lyke-wake  night. 
The  morn  the  day  we  all  maun  die." 

23  Oh,  there  was  mounting,  mounting  in  haste. 

And  there  was  marching  upon  the  lee. 
Until  they  cam'  to  Annan  water. 
And  it  was  flowing  like  the  sea. 

24  "  My  mare  is  young  and  very  skeigh,  -f 

And  in  o'  the  weil  J  she  will  drown  me ; 
But  ye'll  tak'  mine,  and  I'll  tak'  thine. 

And  sune  through  the  water  we  shall  be." 

25  Then  up  and  spake  him  coarse  Ca'field 

(I  wot  and  little  gude  worth  was  he), — 
"We  had  better  lose  ane  than  lose  all  the  lave; 
We'll  lose  the  prisoner,  we'll  gae  free." 

*  The  Gold  Twist  means  the  small  gilded  chains  drawn  across  the  chest  of  a  war 
horse,  as  a  part  of  his  caparison, 
t  "Skeigh:"  shy. 
t  "Weil:"  eddy. 


592  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 

26  "  Shame  fa'  you  and  your  lands  baith ! 

Wou'd  ye  e'en  *  your  lands  to  your  bom  billy? 
But  hey  !  bear  up,  my  bounie  black  mare, 
And  yet  through  the  water  we  shall  be." 

27  Now  they  did  swim  that  wan  water, 

And  wow,  but  they  swam  bonnilie! 
Until  they  cam'  to  the  other  side, 

And  they  wrang  their  clothes  right  drunkily. 

28  "  Come  thro',  come  thro'.  Lieutenant  Gordon  I 

Come  thro'  and  drink  some  wine  with  me  ! 
For  there  is  an  ale-house  here  hard  by. 
And  it  shall  not  cost  thee  ae  penny." 

29  "  Throw  me  my  irons,"  quo'  Lieutenant  Gordon ; 

"  I  wot  they  cost  me  dear  eneugh." 
"The  shame  a  ma,"  quo'  mettled  John  Ha', 
"  They'll  be  gude  shackles  to  my  pleugh." 

30  "  Come  thro',  come  thro'.  Lieutenant  Gordon ! 

Come  thro'  and  drink  some  wine  with  me  1 
Yestreen  I  was  your  prisoner. 

But  now  this  morning  I  am  free." 


AEMSTRONG'S  GOODNIGHT. 

"The  following  verses  are  said  to  have  been  composed  by  one  of 
the  Armstrongs,  executed  for  the  murder  of  Sir  John  Carmichael  of 
Edrom,  Warden  of  the  Middle  Marches,  1600.  (See  Notes  on  *  The 
Raid  of  the  Eeidswire,'  ante,  p.  522.)  The  tune  is  popular  in  Scot- 
land ;  but  whether  these  are  the  original  words,  will  admit  of  a 
doubt." — Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  p.  123. 

They  appear  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  225,  with  only  a 
shght  difference  in  the  opening  line,  which  reads — 

"  Oh,  this  is  my  departmg  time." 
The  words  and  music  next  appear  in  Johnson's  Museum,  p.  620. 

Three  maudlin  stanzas,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Last  Gude-night," 
are  given  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  127. 

1  This  night  is  my  departing  night. 

For  here  nae  langer  must  I  stay; 
There  's  neither  friend  nor  foe  of  mine 
But  wishes  me  away. 

2  What  I  have  done  thro'  lack  of  wit, 

I  never,  never  can  recall; 
I  hope  ye're  all  my  friends  as  yet ; 
Goodnight,  and  joy  be  with  you  all  I 
•  "E'en:"  even;  put  into  comparison. 


LORD  maxwell's   GOODNIGHT.  593 


LORD  MAXWELL'S  GOODNIGHT.* 

From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  ii.,  p.  133. 

"This  beautiful  "ballad  is  published  from  a  copy  in  Glenriddel's 
MSS.,  with  some  slight  variations  from  tradition-  It  alludes  to  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  feuds  upon  the  West  Marches. 

"  A.D.  1585,  John  Lord  Maxwell,  or,  as  he  styled  himself.  Earl  of 
Morton,  having  quarrelled  with  the  Earl  of  Arran,  reigning  favourite 
of  James  VI.,  and  fallen,  of  course,  under  the  displeasure  of  the 
court,  was  denounced  rebel  A  commission  was  also  given  to  the 
Laird  of  Johnstone,  then  Warden  of  the  West  Marches,  to  pursue 
and  apprehend  the  ancient  rival  and  enemy  of  his  house.  Two  bands 
of  mercenaries,  commanded  by  Captains  Cranstoun  and  Lammie,  who 
were  sent  from  Edinburgh  to  support  Johnstone,  were  attacked  and 
cut  to  pieces  at  Crawford-muir,  by  Robert  Maxwell,  natural  brother 
to  the  chieftain  ;t  who,  following  up  his  advantage,  burned  John- 
stone's Castle  of  Lochwood,  observing,  with  savage  glee,  that  he 
would  give  Lady  Johnstone  light  enough  by  which  '  to  set  her  hood.' 
In  a  subsequent  conflict,  Johnstone  himself  was  defeated  and  made 
prisoner,  and  is  said  to  have  died  of  grief  at  the  disgrace  which  he 
sustained.  See  Spottiswoode  and  Johnstone's  Histories,  and  Moyse's 
Memoirs,  ad  annum  1585. 

"  By  one  of  the  revolutions  common  in  those  days,  MaxweU  was 
soon  after  restored  to  the  King's  favour  in  his  turn,  and  obtained 
the  Wardenry  of  the  West  Marches.  A  bond  of  alliance  was  sub- 
scribed by  him  and  by  Sir  James  Johnstone,  and  for  some  time  the 
two  clans  lived  in  harmony.  In  the  year  1593,  however,  the 
hereditary  feud  was  revived,  on  the  following  occasion  : — A  band  of 
marauders,  of  the  clan  Johnstone,  drove  a  prey  of  cattle  from  the 
lands  belonging  to  the  Lairds  of  Crichton,  Sanquhar,  and  Drum- 
lanrig;  and  defeated,  with  slaughter,  the  pursuers,  who  attempted 
to  rescue  their  property.  (See  '  The  Lads  of  Wamphray,'  ante,  p. 
552. )  The  injured  parties,  being  apprehensive  that  Maxwell  would  not 
cordially  embrace  their  cause,  on  account  of  his  late  reconciliation 
with  the  Johnstones,  endeavoured  to  overcome  his  reluctance,  by 
offering  to  enter  into  bonds  of  manrent,  and  so  to  become  his 
followers  and  liegemen ;  he,  on  the  other  hand,  granting  to  them  a 
bond  of  maintenance  or  protection,  by  which  he  bound  himself,  in 
usual  form,  to  maintain  their  quarrel  against  all  mortals,  saving  his 
loyalty.  Thus,  the  most  powerful  and  respectable  families  in  Dum- 
friesshire became,  for  a  time,  the  vassals  of  Lord  Maxwell.  This 
secret  alliance  was  discovered  to  Sir  James  Johnstone  by  the  Laird 
of  Cummertrees,  one  of  his  own  clan,  though  a  retainer  to  Maxwell. 

*  [Lord  Byron  refers  to  this  ballad,  as  having  suggested  the  "  Goodnight "'  iu  the 
first  canto  of  "Childe  Harold."    See  Life  and  Works  of  Byron,  vol.  viii. — Lockhart.] 

t  It  is  devoutly  to  be  wished  that  this  Lammie  (who  was  killed  in  the  skirmish) 
may  have  been  the  same  miscreant  who,  in  the  day  of  Queen  Mary's  distress,  "  hes 
ensign  being  of  quhyt  taffltae,  had  painted  one  it  ye  cruell  murther  of  King  Henry, 
and  layed  down  before  her  majestic,  at  quhat  time  she  presented  herself  as  prisoner 
to  ye  lordis." — Birrel's  Diary,  June  1-5.  16u7.  It  would  be  some  satisfaction  to  know 
that  the  gi-ay  hairs  of  this  worthy  personage  did  not  go  down  to  the  grave  in  peace. 

2Q 


594  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Cnmmertrees  even  contrived  to  possess  himself  of  the  bonds  of  man- 
rent,  which  he  dehvered  to  his  chief  The  petty  warfare  betwixt 
the  rival  barons  was  instantly  renewed.  Buccleuch,  a  near  relation 
of  Johnstone,  came  to  his  assistance  with  his  clan,  '  the  most 
renowned  freebooters,  the  fiercest  and  bravest  warriors  among  the 
Border  Tribes.'*  With  Buccleuch  also  came  the  Elliots,  Arm- 
strongs, and  Graemes.  Thus  reinforced,  Johnstone  surprised  and  cut 
to  pieces  a  party  of  the  Maxwells,  stationed  at  Lochmaben.  On  the 
other  baud.  Lord  Maxwell,  armed  with  the  royal  authority,  and 
numbering  among  his  followers  all  the  barons  of  Nithsdale,  displayed 
his  banner  as  the  king's  Ueutenant,  and  invaded  Annandale  at  the 
head  of  2,000  men.  In  those  days,  however,  the  royal  auspices  seem 
to  have  carried  as  little  good-fortune  as  effective  strength  with  them. 
A  desperate  conflict,  still  renowned  in  tradition,  took  place  at  the 
DryfFe  Sands,  not  far  from  Lockerby,  in  which  Johnstone,  although 
inferior  in  numbers,  partly  by  his  own  conduct,  partly  by  the  valour 
of  his  allies,  gained  a  decisive  victory.  Lord  Maxwell,  a  tall  man, 
and  heavily  armed,  was  struck  from  his  horse  in  the  flight,  and 
cruelly  slain,  after  the  hand  which  he  stretched  out  for  quarter  had 
been  severed  from  his  body.  Many  of  his  followers  were  slain  in 
the  battle,  and  many  cruelly  wounded,  especially  by  slashes  in  the 
face,  which  wound  was  thence  termed  a  '  Lockerby  Uck.'  The 
Barons  of  Lag,  Closeburn,  and  Drumlanrig  escaped  by  the  fleetness 
of  their  horses;  a  circumstance  alluded  to  in  the  following  ballad. 

'*  This  fatal  battle  was  followed  by  a  long  feud,  attended  with  all 
the  circumstances  of  horror  proper  to  a  barbarous  age.  Johnstone, 
in  his  diff'use  manner,  describes  it  thus:  ^Abeo  die  ultro  citroque  in 
Annandia  et  Nithia  Tnagnis  utriusque  regionis  jacturis  certatum. 
Ccedes,  incendia,  rapinos,  et  n>>fanda  fadnora;  liberi  in  maternis 
gremiis  trucidati,  mariti  in  conspectu  conjugum  suarum;  incensce 
villm;  lainentabiles ubique  querimonice,  et  Iwrribiles armorumfremittis.^ 
— Johnston!  Historia,  ed.  Amstael.,  p.  182. 

"  John,  Lord  Maxwell,  with  whose  'Goodnight '  the  reader  is  here 
presented,  was  son  to  him  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Dryffe  Sands, 
and  is  said  to  have  early  avowed  the  deepest  revenge  for  his  father's 
death.  Such,  indeed,  was  the  fiery  and  untameable  spirit  of  the 
man,  that  neither  the  threats  nor  entreaties  of  the  King  himself  could 
make  him  lay  aside  his  vindictive  purpose  ;  although  Johnstone,  the 
object  of  his  resentment,  had  not  only  reconciled  himself  to  the 
court,  but  even  obtained  the  wardenry  of  the  Middle  Marches,  in 
room  of  Sir  John  Carmichael,  murdered  by  the  Armstrongs.  Lord 
Maxwell  was  therefore  prohibited  to  approach  the  Boi'der  Counties  ; 
and  having,  in  contempt  of  that  mandate,  excited  new  disturbances, 
he  was  confined  in  the  castle  of  Edinburgh.  From  this  fortress, 
however,  he  contrived  to  make  his  escape ;  and  having  repaired  to 
Dumfriesshire,  he  sought  an  amicable  interview  with  Johnstone,  under 
a  pretence  of  a  wish  to  accommodate  their  differences.  Sir  Robert 
Maxwell,  of  Orchardstane  (mentioned  in  the  ballad,  verse  1),  who 
was  married  to  a  sister  of  Sir  James  Johnstone,  persuaded  his  brother- 
in-law  to  accede  to  Maxwell's  proposal.     The  following  relation  of 

•  ^^  Inter  accolas  latrorinus  famnsos,  Scotos  BuccIeucM  clientei—fortissimos  tribuUwn 
et  /eroctMtHKW."— Johnstoni  Historia,  ed-  AmsteeL,  p.  182. 


LORD  maxwell's  GOODNIGHT.  595 


what  followed  is  taken  from  an  article  in  Shawfield's  MS.,  men- 
tioned in  the  introduction  to  the  ballad  called  '  Kinmont  Willie  : ' — 

"  '  The  simple  truth  and  cause  of  the  treasonable  murther  of  um- 
quhile  Sir  James  Johnstoun  of  Dunskelie,  knight,  was  as  efter  followes. 
To  wit,  John  Lord  .Maxwell  having  dealt  and  useit  his  best  means 
with  some  nobilemen  and  baronnes  within  the  cuntrey,  and  likeways 
with  sundry  of  the  name  of  Maxwell,  being  refuised  of  them  all  to 
be  partakers  of  so  fouU  ane  deed ;  till  at  last  he  unhappily  persuaded 
one  Charles.  Maxwell,  one  of  the  brother  of  Kirkhouse,  to  be  with 
him,  and  having  made  him  assuired  to  be  pairtner  in  that  treasonable 
plot ;  therefore,  taking  advantage  of  the  weakness  and  unabilitie  of 
imiquhill  Sir  Robert  Maxwell,  of  Orchyardtoun,  knight,  presuming 
that  he  had  power  of  the  said  Sir  James,  being  brother-in-law  to  him,  to 
bring  him  to  anye  part  he  pleased ;  Maxwell,  pretending  he  had  special 
busines  to  do  with  Sir  James,  hearing  he  was  going  from  the  Court 
of  England,  so  gave  out  by  reasoun  he  was  the  king's  rebell  for  the 
time,  for  breaking  weird  out  of  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh,  that  he 
had  no  other  honpes  to  obtaine  the  king's  favour  but  be  his  meanes. 
So  upon  this  pretence,  the  said  Sir  James  was  moved  to  meet  him 
at  Auchnamhill,  near  by  Arthorstane,  without  the  house  of  Bent, 
upon  the  6th  Aprile,  160S,  with  one  man  onlie  with  liim  as  was  with  the 
uther,  therselves  two  onlie  and  the  forsaid  Sir  Eobert  Maxwell  with 
them,  and  their  servantes  being  a  little  off.  The  forsaid  Charles 
falls  out  with  opprobrious  and  malicious  speeches  to  Sir  James  his 
servant,  William  Johnstoune  of  Gunmenlie,  and  before  he  was  aware 
shott  him  with  ane  pistolL  Sir  James  hearing  the  shott  and  his 
man's  words,  turning  about  to  see  what  was  past,  immediatelie  Max- 
well shott  him  behind  his  back  with  ane  pistoU  chairgit  with  two 
poysonit  bulletts,  at  which  shott  the  said  Sir  James  fell  from  his 
horse.  Maxwell,  not  being  content  therewith,  raid  about  him  ane 
lang  tyme,  and  persued  him  farder,  vowing  to  use  him  more  cruelly 
and  treacherousUe  than  he  had  done,  for  which  it  is  known  suffi- 
ciently what  followed.'  'A  fact,'  saith  Spottiswoode,  'detested  by 
all  honest  men,  and  the  gentleman's  misfortune  severely  lamented, 
for  he  was  a  man  full  of  wisdom  and  courage.' — Spottiswoode,  edit. 
1677,  pp.  467,  504.    Johnstoni  Histvria,  ed.  Amstsel. ,  pp.  254,  283,  449. 

"Lord  Maxwell,  the  murderer,  made  his  escape  to  France;  but 
ha\Tng  ventured  to  return  to  Scotland,  he  was  apprehended  lurking 
in  the  wilds  of  Caithness,  and  brought  to  trial  at  Edinburgh.  The 
royal  authority  was  now  much  strengthened  by  the  union  of  the 
crowns,  and  James  employed  it  in  stanching  the  feuds  of  the  nobility, 
with  a  firmness  which  was  no  attribute  of  his  general  character. 
But  in  the  best  actions  of  that  monarch,  there  seems  to  have  been 
an  unfortunate  tincture  of  that  meanness,  so  visible  on  the  present 
occasion.  Lord  Maxwell  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of  Johnstone  ; 
but  this  was  combined  with  a  charge  of  fire-raising,  which,  according 
to  the  ancient  Scottish  law,  if  perpetrated  by  a  landed  man,  consti- 
tuted a  species  of  treason,  and  inferred  foi-feiture.  Thus  the  noble 
purpose  of  public  justice  was  sullied  by  being  united  with  that  of 
enriching  some  needy  favourite.  John,  Lord  Maxwell,  was  condemned, 
and  beheaded,  21st  May,  1613.  Sir  Gideon  Murray,  Treasurer- 
depute,  had  a  great  share  of  his  forfeiture ;  but  the  attainder  was 


596  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


afterwards  reversed,  and  the  honours  and  estate  were  conferred  upon 
the  brother  of  the  deceased. — Laing's  History  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.,  p. 
G2.     Johnston!  Historia,  p.  493. 

"  The  lady  mentioned  in  the  ballad  was  sister  to  the  Marquis  of 
Hamilton,  and  according  to  Johnstone  the  historian,  had  little  reason 
to  regret  being  separated  from  her  husband,  whose  harsh  treatment 
jBnally  occasioned  her  death.  But  Johnstone  appears  not  to  be  alto- 
gether untinctured  with  the  prejudices  of  his  clan,  and  is  probably, 
in  this  instance,  guilty  of  exaggeration  ;  as  the  active  share  taken  by 
the  Marquis  of  Hamilton  in  favour  of  Maxwell,  is  a  circumstance 
inconsistent  with  such  a  report. 

"Thus  was  finally  ended,  by  a  salutary  example  of  severity,  the 
'  foul  debate  '  between  the  Maxwell's  and  Johnstones,  in  the  course 
of  which  each  family  lost  two  chieftains, — one  dying  of  a  broken 
heart,  one  in  the  field  of  battle,  one  by  assassination,  and  one  by  the 
sword  of  the  executioner. 

"It  seems  reasonable  to  believe,  that  the  following  ballad  must 
have  been  written  before  the  death  of  Lord  Maxwell,  in  1613 ;  other- 
wise there  would  have  been  some  allusion  to  that  event.  It  must 
therefore  have  been  composed  betwixt  1608  and  that  period. " 

1  "  Adieu,  madame,  my  mother  dear, 

But  and  my  sisters  three  ! 
Adieu,  fair  Robert  of  Orchardstane  ! 

My  heart  is  wae  for  thee. 
Adieu,  the  lily  and  the  rose, 

The  primrose,  fair  to  see; 
Adieu,  my  ladye,  and  only  joy ! 

For  I  may  not  stay  with  thee. 

2  "  Though  I  ha'e  slain  the  Lord  Johnstone, 

What  care  I  for  their  feid  ? 
My  noble  mind  their  wrath  disdains — 

He  was  my  father's  deid. 
Both  night  and  day  I  labour'd  oft 

Of  him  avenged  to  be ; 
But  now  I've  got  what  lang  I  sought, 

And  I  may  not  stay  with  thee. 

3  "  Adieu  !  Drumlanrig,  false  wert  aye, 

And  Closeburn  in  a  band  !  * 
The  Laird  of  Lag,  frae  my  father  that  lied. 
When  the  Johnstone  struck  aff  his  hand. 

•  The  reader  will  perceive,  from  the  Introdnction,  what  connection  the  bond,  sub- 
scribed by  Douglas  of  Drumlanrig,  Kirkpatrick  of  Closeburn,  and  Grierson  of  Lagg, 
liad  with  the  death  of  Lord  Maxwell's  father.  For  the  satisfaction  of  those  who 
may  be  curious  as  to  the  form  of  these  bonds,  I  have  transcribed  a  letter  of  man- 
rent,  t  from  a  MS.  collection  of  upwards  of  twenty  deeds  of  that  nature,  copied  from 

•t  "Jfanrent:"  tho  proper  spelling  is  manred.  Thn?,  in  the  romance  of  "Florice  aud  Blanche' 
floure : " — 

"  He  will  falle  to  thl  fot, 
And  bicom  the  man  gif  he  mnt ; 
His  manred  thou  schalt  afoinfe, 
And  the  trewtbe  of  hU  houdo." 


LORD  MAXW£LL'S   GOODNIGHT,  597 


They  were  three  brethren  in  a  band — 

Joy  may  they  never  see  ! 
Their  treacherous  art,  and  cowardly  heart, 

Has  twined  my  love  and  me. 

4     "  Adieu! 'Dumfries,  my  proper  place, 
But  and  Carlaverock  fair  ! 
Adieu !  my  castle  of  the  Thrieve,* 

the  originals  by  the  late  John  Syme,  Esq.,  Writer  to  the  Signet ;  for  the  nse  of  which, 
with  many  other  favours  of  a  similar  nature,  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Robert  Anderson 
of  Edinburgh.  The  bond  is  granted  by  Thomas  Kirkpatrick  of  Closebum,  to  Kobert 
Lord  Maxwell,  father  of  him  who  was  slain  at  the  battle  of  the  Dryffe  Sands. 

BOND  OF  MANBENT. 

"  Be  it  kend  till  all  men  be  thir  present  lettres,  me,  Thomas  Kirkpatrick  of  Clos- 
burn,  to  be  bundin  and  oblist,  and  be  the  tenor  heirof,  bindis  and  oblissis  me,  be  the 
faith  and  treuth  of  my  body,  in  manrent  and  service  to  ane  nobil  and  mychty  lord, 
Bobert  lord  Marwell,  induring  all  the  days  of  my  lyfe;  and  byndis  and  oblissis  me, 
as  said  is,  to  be  leil  and  trew  mau  and  servant  to  the  said  Robert  lord  Maxwell, 
my  master,  and  sail  nowthir  heir  nor  se  his  skaith,  but  sail  lat  the  samyn  at  my 
nttr  power,  and  warn  him  therof.  And  I  sail  conceill  it  that  the  said  lord  schawls 
to  me,  and  sail  gif  him  agane  the  beat  leill  and  true  counsale  that  I  can,  quhen  he 
only  askis  at  me ;  and  that  I  sail  ryde  with  my  kyn,  freyndis,  servandis,  and  allies, 
that  wil  do  for  me,  or  to  gang  with  the  said  lords ;  and  to  do  him  sefauld,  trew,  and 
thankful  service,  and  take  eefauld  plane  part  with  the  said  lord,  my  maister,  in  all 
and  sindry  his  actionis,  causis,  quarrellis,  leful  and  honest,  movit,  or  to  be  movit,  be 
him,  or  aganis  him,  baith  in  peace  and  weir,  contrair  or  aganis  all  thae  that  leiffes 
or  de  may  (my  allegeance  to  owr  soveran  ladye  the  quenis  grace,  her  tutor  and 
governor,  allanerly  except).  And  thir  my  lettres  of  manrent,  for  all  the  dayis  of 
my  life  foresaid  to  indure,  aU  dissimulations,  fraud,  or  gyle,  secludit  and  away  put 
In  witness,"  &c.    The  deed  Is  signed  at  Edinburgh,  3d  of  February,  1542. 

In  the  collection,  from  which  this  extract  is  made,  there  are  bonds  of  a  similar 
nature  granted  to  Lord  Maxwell,  by  Douglas  of  Drumlanrig,  ancestor  to  the  Dukes 
of  Queensberry ;  by  Crichton  Lord  Sanquhar,  ancestor  of  the  Earls  of  Dumfries,  and 
many  of  his  kindred;  by  Stuart  of  Castlemilk;  by  Stuart  of  Garlies,  ancestor  of  the 
Earls  of  GhiUoway ;  by  Murray  of  Cockpool,  ancestor  of  the  Murrays,  Lords  Annan- 
dale  ;  by  Grierson  of  Lagg,  Gordon  of  Lochmaben,  and  many  other  of  the  most 
ancient  and  respectable  barons  in  the  south-west  of  Scotland,  binding  themselves, 
in  the  most  submissive  terms,  to  become  the  liegemen  and  the  vassals  of  the  House 
of  Maxwell;  a  circumstance  which  must  highly  excite  our  idea  of  the  power  of  that 
family.  Nay,  even  the  rival  chieftain,  Johnstone  of  Johnstone,  seems  at  one  time 
to  have  come  under  a  similar  obligation  to  Maxwell,  by  a  bond,  dated  llth  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1528,  in  which  reference  is  made  to  the  counter-obligation  of  the  patron,  in 
these  words: — "Forasmeikle  as  the  said  lord  has  oblist  him  to  supple,  maintene, 
and  defend  me,  in  the  peciabill  brouking  and  joysing  of  all  my  landis,  rentis,  &c., 
and  to  take  my  aefald,  leill,  and  trew  part,  in  all  my  good  actionis,  causis,  and  our 
soveraigne  lord  the  king  allanerly  excepted,  as  at  mair  length  is  contained  in  his 
letters  of  maintenance  maid  to  me  thereupon;  therefox'e,"  &c.,  he  proceeds  to  bind 
himself  as  liegeman  to  the  Maxwell. 

I  cannot  dismiss  the  subject  without  observing,  that  in  the  dangerous  times  of 
Queen  Mary,  when  most  of  these  bonds  are  dated,  many  barons,  for  the  sake  of 
maintaining  unanimity  and  good  order,  mav  have  chosen  to  enrol  themselves  among 
the  clients  of  Lord  Maxwell,  then  Warden  of  the  Border,  from  which,  at  a  less 
turbulent  period,  personal  considerations  would  have  deterred  them. 

•  This  fortress  is  situated  in  the  stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright,  upon  an  island 
several  acres  in  extent,  formed  by  the  river  Dee.  The  walls  are  very  thick  and 
strong,  and  bear  the  marks  of  great  antiquity.  It  was  a  royal  castle;  but  the 
keeping  of  it,  agreeable  to  the  feudal  practice,  was  granted  by  charter,  or  some- 
times by  a  more  temporary  and  precarious  right,  to  different  powerful  families, 
together  with  lands  for  their  good  service  in  maintaining  and  defending  the  place. 
This  olHce  of  heritable  keeper  remained  with  the  Nithesdale  family  (chief  of  the 
Maxwells)  till  their  forfeitui-e,  1715.  The  garrison  seems  to  have  been  victualled 
upon  feudal  principles;  for  each  parish  in  the  stewartry  was  burdened  with  the 
yearly  payment  of  a  lardner  marl  cow,  i.  e.,  a  cow  fit  for  being  killed  and  salted  at 
toirtinmas  for  winter  provis  ons.  The  right  of  levying  these  cattle  was  retained  by 
the  Nithesdale  family,  when  they  sold  the  castle  and  estate  in  1704,  and  they  did 
not  cease  to  exercise  it  till  their  attainder. — FountalMhall's  Decisions,  vol.  1.,  p.  688. 


598  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


With  all  my  buildings  there  : 
Adieu !  Lochmaben's  gate  sae  fair, 

The  Langholm-holm,  where  birks  there  be ; 
Adieu  !  my  ladye,  and  only  joy, 

For,  trust  me,  I  may  not  stay  with  thee. 

5     "  Adieu !  fair  Eskdale,  up  and  down. 

Where  my  puir  friends  do  dwell ; 
The  bangisters*  will  ding  them  down, 

And  will  them  sair  compel. 
But  I'll  avenge  their  feid  mysel' 

When  I  come  o'er  the  sea  ! 
Adieu  !  my  ladye,  and  only  joy, 

For  I  may  not  stay  with  thee." 

C     "  Lord  of  the  land !"  that  ladye  said, 

"  Oh,  wou'd  ye  go  with  me, 
Unto  my  brother's  stately  tow'r, 

Where  safest  ye  may  be  ? 
There  Hamiltons,  and  Douglas  baith, 

Shall  rise  to  succour  thee." 
"  Thanks  for  thy  kindness,  my  fair  dame, 

But  I  may  not  stay  with  thee." 

7  Then  he  took  aff  a  gay  gold  ring, 

Thereat  hang  signets  three  ; 
"  Ha'e,  take  thee  that,  mine  ain  dear  thing, 

And  still  ha'e  mind  of  me  : 
But  if  thou  take  another  lord, 

Ere  I  come  o'er  the  sea, 
His  life  is  but  a  three  days'  lease, 

Though  I  may  not  stay  with  thee." 

8  The  wind  was  fair,  the  ship  was  clear, 

That  good  lord  went  away ; 
And  most  part  of  his  friends  were  there,  f 

To  give  him  a  fair  convey. 
They  drank  the  wine,  they  didna  spare, 

Even  in  that  gude  lord's  sight ; 
Sae  now  he 's  o'er  the  floods  sae  gray,  J 

And  Lord  Maxwell  has  ta'en  his  Good-night. 

*  "  Bangisters : '"  the  prevailing  party. 

t  The  ancestor  of  the  present  Mr.  Maxwell  of  Broomholm  is  particularly  men- 
tioned in  Glenriddel's  MS.  as  having  attended  his  chieftain  in  his  distress,  and  ao 
having  received  a  grant  of  lands,  in  reward  of  this  manifestation  of  attachment. 

t  This  s-eems  to  have  been  a  favourite  epithet  in  old  romances.  Thus,  in  "  Ho:  a- 
chUde,  and  Maiden  Himuild," — 

"  Thai  sayled  ower  the  flode  no  gray, 
In  Inglbnd  airived  were  thay, 
Ther  uim  levest  ware." 


THE  DOWIE   DENS  OF  YARROW.  599 


THE  DOWIE  DENS  OF  YARROW. 

"  This  ballad,  which  ia  a  very  great  favourite  among  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Ettrick  Forest,  is  universally  believed  to  be  founded  in  fact. 
I  found  it  easy  to  collect  a  variety  of  copies ;  but  very  difficult 
indeed  to  select  from  them  such  a  collated  edition  as  might,  in 
any  degree,  suit  the  taste  of  '  these  more  light  and  giddy-paced  times.' 

"  Tradition  places  the  event,  recorded  in  the  song,  very  early ; 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  ballad  was  composed  soon  afterwards, 
although  the  language  has  been  gradually  modernized,  in  the  course 
of  its  transmission  to  us,  through  the  inaccurate  channel  of  oral 
tradition.  The  bard  does  not  relate  particulars,  but  barely  the 
striking  outlines  of  a  fact,  apparently  so  well  known  when  he  wrote, 
as  to  render  minute  detail  as  unnecessary  as  it  is  always  tedious 
and  un  poetical. 

"The  hero  of  the  ballad  was  a  knight  of  great  bravery,  called 
Scott,  who  is  said  to  have  resided  at  Kirkhope,  or  Oakwood  Castle, 
and  is,  in  tradition,  termed  the  Baron  of  Oakwood.  The  estate  of 
Kirkho2)e  belonged  anciently  to  the  Scotts  of  Harden :  Oakwood  is 
still  their  property,  and  has  been  so  from  time  immemorial.  The 
editor  was  therefore  led  to  suppose,  that  the  hero  of  the  ballad  might 
have  been  identified  with  John  Scott,  sixth  son  of  the  Laird  of 
Harden,  murdered  in  Ettrick  Forest  by  his  kinsmen,  the  Scotts 
of  Oilman scleugh.  (See  notes  to  'Jamie  Telfer,'  ante,  p.  568.)  This 
appeared  the  more  probable,  as  the  common  people  always  affirm 
that  this  j'oung  man  was  treacherously  slain,  and  that,  in  evidence 
thereof,  his  body  remained  uncorrxipted  for  many  years;  so  that 
even  the  roses  on  his  shoes  seemed  as  fresh  as  when  he  was  first 
laid  in  the  family  vault  at  Hassendean.  But  from  a  passage  in 
Nisbet's  Heraldry,  he  now  believes  the  ballad  refers  to  a  duel  fought 
at  Deucharswyre,  of  which  Annan's  Treat  is  a  part,  betwixt  John 
Scott  of  Tushielaw  and  his  brother-in-law,  Walter  Scott,  third  son 
of  Robert  of  Thirlestane,  in  which  the  latter  was  slain. 

"  In  ploughing  Annan's  Treat,  a  huge  monumental  stone,  with 
an  inscription,  was  discovered;  but  being  rather  scratched  than 
engraved,  and  the  lines  being  run  through  each  other,  it  is  only 
possible  to  read  one  or  two  Latin  words.  It  probably  records  the 
event  of  the  combat.  The  person  slain  was  the  male  ancestor  of 
the  present  Lord  Napier. 

"  Tradition  affirms,  that  the  hero  of  the  song  (be  he  who  he  may) 
was  murdered  by  the  brother,  either  of  his  wife  or  betrothed  bride. 
The  alleged  cause  of  malice  was  the  lady's  father  having  proposed 
to  endow  her  with  half  of  his  property,  upon  her  marriage  with  a 
warrior  of  such  renown.  The  name  of  the  murderer  is  said  to  have 
been  Annan,  and  the  place  of  combat  is  still  called  Anaian's  Treat. 
It  is  a  low  muir,  on  the  banks  of  the  Yarrow,  lying  to  the  west  of 
Yarrow  Kirk.  Two  tall  unhewn  masses  of  stone  are  erected,  about 
eighty  j'ards  distant  from  each  other ;  and  the  least  child  that  can 
herd  a  cow  will  tell  the  passenger,  that  there  lie  '  the  two  lords,  who 
were  slain  in  single  combat.' 


600  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


"  It  will  be,  with  many  readers,  the  greatest  recommendation  of 
these  verses,  that  they  are  supposed  to  have  suggested  to  Mr.  Hamilton 
of  Bangour,  the  modern  ballad,  beginning — 

'  Busk  ye,  busk  ye,  my  boany  bonny  briie.' 

A  fragment,  apparently  regarding  the  story  of  the  following  ballad, 
but  in  a  different  measure,  occurs  in  Mr.  Herd's  MS.,  and  runs 
thus:— 

'  When  I  look  east,  my  heart  is  sair, 

But  when  I  look  west,  it's  mair  and  mair; 

For  tlien  I  see  the  braes  o'  Yarrow, 

And  there,  for  aye,  I  lost  my  marrow.'" 

— Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  14.3. 

A  fragment  of  four  stanzas,  "to  the  tune  of  Leaderhaughs  and 
Yarrow,"  appears  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  145.  Three 
of  them  correspond  to  the  stanzas  here  numbered  15,  16,  and  17 ;  and 
one,  which  was  reproduced  in  Scott's  version  of  this  ballad,  seems, 
as  pointed  out  by  Professor  Aytoun,  to  belong  to  the  next  ballad,  to 
which  it  has  therefore  been  transferred. 

Scott's  version,  which  next  appeared,  forms  the  basis  of  the  present 
collated  version.  The  stanzas  not  bracketed  are  thence  derived ; 
but  a  few  emendations,  chiefly  on  the  last  lines  of  some  of  the 
stanzas,  have  been  introduced,  and  consist  for  the  most  part  in  the 
substitution  of  "dens"  for  "banks"  or  "houms,"  and  of  "  dowie 
dens  "  for  "  bonnie  banks." 

Motherwell's  Minstrelsy  (p.  252)  contains  a  version  "  taken  from 
the  recitation  of  an  old  woman  in  Kilbarchan."  Stanzas  1  to  4 
inclusive  are  from  this  source;  but  stanza  1  has  been  slightly 
emendated  from  Scott's. 

Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads  (vol.  ii.,  p.  203)  contains  a  still  different 
version,  under  the  title  of  "The  Braes  o'  Yarrow."  It  is  repeated 
in  vol.  xvii.  of  the  Percy  Society  Publications.  Stanzas  15  and  22 
are  taken  from  this  version. 

Stanza  19  is  derived  from  "Bare  Willie's  drown'd  in  Yarrow,"  in 
which  it  appears  to  be  out  of  place.     (See  next  ballad. ) 

"  '  The  Dowy  Den,'  in  Evan's  Collection,  vol.  iii.,  p.  342,  is,"  says 
Professor  Child,  "  the  caput  mortuum  of  this  spirited  ballad." 

Wordsworth's  sympathy  with,  and  appreciation  of  our  Scotish 
ballad  and  song  lore,  is  shown  in  several  of  his  poems.  "  Yarrow 
Unvisited,"  "Yarrow  Visited,"  and  "Yarrow  Eevisited,"  are  instances 
in  point. 

1     [Late  at  evening,  drinking  the  wine, 
On  the  dowie*  dens  of  Yarrow, 

•  ["  Dowie : "  melancholy : — 

"  Meek  loveliness  is  round  thee  spread, 
A  softness  still  and  holy; 
The  grace  of  forest  charms  decayed, 
And  pastoral  melancholy."— yarrow  VisiUd.\ 


THE   DOWIE   DENS   OF  YARROW.  601 


They  set  a  combat  them  between, 
To  fight  it  on  the  morrow.* 

2  "  You  took  our  sister  to  be  your  wife, 

And  ne'er  thought  her  your  marrow ; 
You  stole  her  frae  her  father's  hame, 
When  she  was  the  Rose  of  Yarrow." 

3  "  Yes,  I  took  your  sister  to  be  my  wife, 

And  I  made  her  my  marrow ; 
I  took  her  frae  her  father's  hame. 
And  she 's  still  the  Rose  of  Yarrow." 

4  He  is  hame  to  his  ladye  gane, 

As  he  had  done  before,  0 ; 
Says — "  Madam,  I  must  ^o  and  fight 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow."] 

5  "  Oh,  stay  at  hame,  my  noble  lord, 

Oh,  stay  at  hame,  my  marrow ! 

My  cruel  brother  will  you  betray 

On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow." 

6  "  Oh,  fare  ye  weel,  my  ladye  dear! 

Fareweel,  my  winsome  marrow !  f 

For  I  maun  gae,  though  I  ne'er  return, 

Frae  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow." 

7  She  kiss'd  his  cheek,  she  kaim'd  his  hair, 

As  ott  she  had  done  before,  0 ; 
She  belted  him  with  his  noble  brand, 
And  he 's  away  to  Yarrow. 

8  As  he  gaed  up  the  Tennies  bank, 

I  wot  he  gaed  with  sorrow. 
Till  he  espied  nine  armSd  men. 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow. 

9  "  Oh,  come  ye  here  to  part  your  land, 

The  bonnie  Forest  thorough  ? 
Or  come  ye  here  to  wield  your  brand, 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow?" 

*  [Stanza  1,  as  it  appears  in  Scott's  version,  re  ids: — 

"  Late  at  e'en,  drinking  the  wine. 
And  ere  tiiey  paid  the  la  wing. 
They  set  a  combat  them  between, 
To  fight  it  in  the  da  wing."] 

t  [Scott's  text,  in  place  of  "marrow,"  reads  "  Sarah,"  a  name  which,  as  Professor 
Aytonn  justly  remarka,  "  was  better  known  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  than  in  Ettrick 
Forest"] 


C02  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


10  "  I  come  not  here  to  part  ray  land, 

And  neither  to  beg  nor  borrow ; 
I  come  to  wield  my  noble  brand, 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow. 

11  "  If  I  see  all,  ye're  nine  to  ane ; 

And  that 's  unequal  marrow  : 
Yet  will  I  fight,  while  lasts  my  brand, 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow." 

12  Four  has  he  hurt,  and  five  has  slain. 

On  the  bloody  braes  of  Yarrow  ; 
Till  a  coward  knight  came  him  behind, 
And  ran  his  body  thorough. 

13  "  Gae  hame,  gae  hame,  good-brother  *  John, 

And  tell  my  winsome  marrow 
To  come  and  lift  her  leafu'  lord, — 
He's  sleeping  sound  on  Yarrow." 

11     [As  he  gaed  o'er  yon  high,  high  hill, 
As  he  had  done  before,  0, 
It 's  there  he  met  his  sister  dear, 
Fast  running  on  to  Yarrow.] 

15     "  Yestreen  I  dream'd  a  doleful  dream  ; 
I  fear  there  will  be  sorrow  ! 
I  dream'd  I  pull'd  the  birk  sae  green. 
With  my  true  love,  on  Yarrow." 

IG     ["  I'll  read  your  dream,  my  sister  dear. 
Your  dream  of  dule  and  sorrow ; 
Ye  pull'd  the  birk  for  your  true  love, — 
He 's  kill'd,  he  's  kill'd  on  Yarrow.] 

17  "  For  in  yon  glen  strave  armed  men  ; 

They've  wrought  thee  dule  and  sorrow ; 
They've  slain,  they've  slain  your  noble  loi  d ; 
He  bleeding  lies  on  Yarrow." 

18  As  she  sped  down  yon  high,  high  hill. 

She  gaed  with  dule  and  sorrow, 
And  in  the  den  spied  ten  slain  men, 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow. 

19  "  She  kiss'd  his  cheek,  she  kafim'd  his  hair, 

She  search'd  his  wounds  all  thorough  ; 
She  kiss'd  them,  till  her  lips  grew  red, 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow. 

♦"Good-brother:  ■'  beau-frfere;  brother-in-law. 


RARE  WILLIE  DROWNED  IN  YARROW.  603 

20  ["  Yestreen  I  made  my  bed  fu'  braid, 

This  night  I'll  make  it  narrow ; 
For  all  the  live-lang  winter  night, 
I'll  lie  twin'd  of  my  marrow."] 

21  "  Now,  hand  your  tongue,  my  daughter  dear ! 

For  all  this  breeds  but  sorrow ; 
I'll  wed  ye  to  a  better  lord 
Than  him  ye  lost  on  Yarrow." 

22  "  Oh,  baud  your  tongue,  my  father  dear  I 

Ye  mind  me  but  of  sorrow  : 
A  fairer  rose  did  never  bloom 

Than  now  lies  cropp'd  on  Yitrrow." 

23  [She  kiss'd  his  lips,  she  kaim'd  his  hair, 

As  aft  she  had  done  before,  0 ; 
Syne,  with  a  crack,  her  heart  it  brak', 
On  the  dowie  dens  of  Yarrow.] 


RAKE  WILLIE  DROWNED  IN  YARROW. 

Four  stanzas  under  the  above  title  appear  in  Ramsay's  Tea-Tahh 
Miscellany,  vol.  ii.,  p.  141.  Three  of  them  are  given  in  the  following 
collated  ballad,  and  are  numbered  2,  10,  and  11.  The  other  forms 
stanza  19  of  the  preceding  ballad,  to  which,  it  seems  properly  to  belong, 
as  it  evidently  speaks  the  language  of  a  matron,  while  that  here 
numbered  stanza  2  is  as  evidently  the  language  of  a  maid.  (See  also 
stanza  3.) 

Stanza  9  is  taken  from  "  Willie's  Drowned  in  Gamery  ; "  a  similar 
ballad  of  the  North,  given  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i.,  p.  245, 
and  of  which  a  fragment,  differing  slightly  from  the  complete  copy, 
appears  in  the  Percy  Society,  vol.  xvii.,  already  several  times  referred 
to.  It  was  at  first  intended  to  insert  the  ballad  just  named  in  this 
collection ;  but  it  is  so  simdar  in  some  of  its  stanzas  to  the  following, 
and  in  others  to  "The  Drowned  Lovers,"  ante,  p.  9,  and  so  much 
inferior  to  both,  that  this  intention  has  been  abandoned. 

The  remaining  stanzas  are  from  "The  Haughs  of  Yarrow," — 
"another  of  Yarrow's  inspired  songs,"  given  by  Mr.  Buchan  in  his 
Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  211.  Scott's,  or,  more  correctly  speaking. 
Herd's  version  of  stanza  4  has,  however,  been  substituted  for  the 
corresponding  stanza  in  Mr.  Buchan's  version,  which  is  noted  under 
the  text. 

"  Rare  Willie 's  Drowned  in  Yarrov/  "  suggested  Logan's  admirable 
modern  ballad,  "The  Braes  of  Yarrow,"  beginning — 
"  Thy  braes  were  bonnie,  Yarrow  stream." 

1     Down  in  yon  garden,  sweet  and  gay, 
Where  bonnie  grows  the  lilie, 
I  heard  a  fair  maid  singing,  say, 
"  My  wish  be  with  sweet  Willie. 


C04  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


2  "  [Oh,]  Willie 's  rare  and  Willie 's  fair, 

And  Willie  's  wond'rous  bonnie. 
And  Willie 's  hecht  to  marry  me, 
If  e'er  he  married  ony. 

3  "  [But]  Willie 's  gane,  whom  I  thought  on, 

And  does  not  hear  me  weeping ; 
Nor  see  the  tears  frae  true  love's  e'e,* 
When  other  maids  are  sleeping. 

4  "  Oh,  gentle  wind,  that  bloweth  south, 

From  where  my  love  repairetb, 
Convey  a  kiss  from  his  dear  mouth, 
And  tell  me  how  he  fareth.  f 

5  "  Oh,  tell  sweet  Willie  to  come  down, 

And  bid  him  not  be  cruel ; 
Oh,  tell  him  not  to  break  the  heart 
Of  his  love  and  only  jewel. 

6  "  Oh,  tell  sweet  Willie  to  come  down, 

To  hear  the  mavis  singing ; 
To  see  the  birds  on  ilka  bush, 
And  leaves  around  them  hinging. 

7  "  The  lav'rock  there  with  her  white  breast, 

And  gentle  throat  sae  narrow ; 

There 's  sport  enough  for  gentlemen 

On  Leader  Haughs  and  Yarrow. 

8  "  Oh,  Leader  Haughs  are  wide  and  braid. 

And  Yarrow  Haughs  are  bonnie ; 
There  Willie  hecht  to  marry  me. 
If  e'er  he  married  ony.  J 

•  Altered.    The  original  reads : — 

"  Draws  moDy  a  tear  frae 's  true  love's  e'e."' 

t  "  Ye  south,  south  winds,  blaw  to  the  north. 
To  the  place  where  he's  remaining; 
Convey  these  kisses  to  his  mouth, 
And  tell  him  how  I'm  faring." 

X  Buchan's  version. — "  The  Haughs  o'  Yarrow  "  ends  thr.3--~ 
"  '  But  if  he  plays  the  prodigal, 
I  freely  could  forget  him ; 
And  if  he  choose  another  bride, 
I  ever  mair  will  hate  him." 

"  But  now  sweet  Willie  he 's  come  doiva. 

And  eas'd  her  of  her  sorrow ; 
And  he  s  made  her  his  lawful  bride, 
Upon  the  braes  o'  Yarrow." 


ANNAN   WATER.  605 


9     "  [Oh,]  Willie 's  fair  and  Willie 's  rare, 
And  Willie 's  wond'rous  bonnie ; 
There 's  nane  with  him  that  can  compare, 
I  love  him  best  of  ony. 

10  "  Oh,  came  you  by  yon  water-side  ?       ' 

Pnll'd  ye  the  rose  or  lilie  ? 
Or  came  ye  by  yon  meadow-green  ? 
Or  saw  ye  my  sweet  Willie  ?  " 

11  She  sought  him  east,  she  sought  him  west, 

She  sought  him  braid  and  narrow ; 
Syne,  in  the  cleaving  of  a  craig. 
She  found  him  drowu'd  in  Yarrow.* 


ANNAN  WATER. 


From  Scott's  Minstrelsy,  vol.  iii.,  p.  282. 

"  The  following  verses  are  the  original  words  of  the  tune  of  '  Allan 
Water,'  by  which  name  the  song  is  mentioned  in  Ramsay's  Tea- Table 
Miscellany.  The  baUad  is  given  from  tradition ;  and  it  is  said  that  a 
bridge  over  the  Annan  was  built  in  consequence  of  the  melancholy 
catastrophe  which  it  narrates.  Two  verses  are  added  in  this  edition, 
from  another  copy  of  the  ballad,  in  which  the  conclusion  proves 
fortunate.  By  the  Gatehope-slack,  is  perhaps  meant  the  Gate-slack, 
a  pass  in  Annandale.  The  Annan  and  the  Frith  of  Solwa}%  into 
which  it  falls,  are  the  frequent  scenes  of  tragical  accidents.  The 
editor  trusts  he  will  be  pardoned  for  inserting  the  following  awfully 
impressive  account  of  such  an  event,  contained  in  a  letter  from  Dr. 
Currie,  of  Liverpool,  by  whose  correspondence,  while  in  the  course 
of  preparing  these  volumes  for  the  press,  he  has  been  alike  honoured 
and  instructed.  After  stating  that  he  had  some  recollection  of  the 
ballad  which  follows,  the  biographer  of  Bums  proceeds  thus  : — 'I 
once  in  my  early  days  heard  (for  it  was  night,  and  I  could  not  see) 
a  traveller  drowning ;  not  in  the  Annan  itself,  but  in  the  Frith  of 
Solway,  close  by  the  mouth  of  that  river.  The  influx  of  the  tide 
had  unhorsed  him,  in  the  night,  as  he  was  passing  the  sands  from 
Cumberland.  The  west  wind  blew  a  tempest,  and,  according  to  the 
common  expression,  brought  in  the  water  three  foot  abreast.  The 
traveller  got  upon  a  standing  net,  a  little  way  from  the  shore.  There 
he  lashed  himself  to  the  post,  shouting  for  haK  an  hour  for  assistance 
— till  the  tide  rose  over  his  head!  In  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and 
amid  the  pauses  of  the  hurricane,  his  voice,  heard  at  intervals,  was 

*  "  She  sought  it  up,  she  sought  it  down. 
Till  she  was  wet  and  wearie ; 
And  in  the  middle  part  of  it, 
There  she  got  her  dearie." 
Penultimate  stanza  of  "  Willie 's  Drowned  in  Gamery."    The  "  it '    means  tUo 
river. 


COG  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND, 


exquisitely  mournful.  No  one  could  go  to  his  assistance— no  one 
knew  where  he  was— the  sound  seemed  to  proceed  from  the  spirit  of 
the  waters.  But  morning  rose — the  tide  had  ebbed — and  the  poor 
traveller  was  found  lashed  to  the  pole  of  the  net,  and  bleaching  in 
the  wind.'"— Scott. 

[The  following  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  preceding  ballad,  and 
to  "  The  Drowned  Lovers,"  ante,  p.  9.] 

1  "  Annan  water's  wading  deep, 

And  my  love  Annie  's  wond'rous  bonnie ; 
And  I  am  laith  she  shou'd  weet  her  feet, 
Because  I  love  her  best  of  ony. 

2  "  Gar  saddle  me  the  bonnie  black, 

Gar  saddle  sune,  and  make  him  ready ; 
For  I  will  down  the  Gatehope-slack, 
And  all  to  see  my  bonnie  ladye." 

3  He  has  loupen  on  the  bonnie  black, 

He  stirr'd  him  with  the  spur  right  sairly ; 
Bat,  or  he  wan  the  Gatehope-slack, 
I  think  the  steed  was  wae  and  weary. 

4  He  has  loupen  on  the  bonnie  gray. 

He  rade  the  right  gate  and  the  ready ; 
I  trow  he  wou'd  neither  stint  nor  stay. 
For  he  was  seeking  his  bonnie  ladye. 

5  Oh,  he  has  ridden  o'er  field  and  fell, 

Thro'  muir  and  moss,  and  mony  a  mire : 
His  spurs  of  steel  were  sair  to  bide, 
And  frae  her  fore-feet  flew  the  fire. 

6  "  Now,  bonnie  gray,  now  play  your  part, 

If  ye  be  the  steed  that  wins  my  deary, 
"With  corn  and  hay  ye'se  be  fed  for  aye. 
And  never  spur  shall  make  you  weary." 

7  The  gi"ay  was  a  mare,  and  a  right  good  mare : 

But  when  she  wan  the  Annan  water, 
She  cou'dna  ha'e  ridden  a  furlong  mair, 

Had  .a  thousand  merks  been  wadded*  at  her. 

8  "  Oh,  boatman,  boatman,  put  oflf  your  boat  I 

Put  off  your  boat  for  gowden  money ! 
I  cross  the  drumly  stream  the  night, 
Or  never  mair  I  see  my  honey." 

*  "  Wadded :  "  wagered. 


THE   LAIRD  OF  WARISTOUN.  607 


9     "  Oh,  I  was  sworn  sae  late  yestreen, 
And  not  by  ae  aith,  but  by  many ; 
And  for  all  the  gowd  in  fair  Scotland, 
I  dare  not  take  ye  through  to  Annie." 

10  The  side  was  stey,  and  the  bottom  deep, 

Frae  bank  to  brae  the  water  pouring ; 
And  the  bonnie  gray  mare  did  sweat  for  fear, 
For  she  heard  the  water-kelpy  roaring 

11  Oh,  he  has  puU'd  affhis  dapperpy  *  coat, 

The  silver  buttons  glanced  bonnie ; 
The  waistcoat  bursted  aff  his  breast, 
He  was  sae  full  of  melancholy. 

12  He  has  ta'en  the  ford  at  that  stream  tail ; 

I  wot  he  swam  both  strong  and  steady ; 
But  the  stream  was  broad,  and  his  strength  did  fail, 
And  he  never  saw  his  bonnie  ladye ! 

13  "  Oh,  wae  betide  the  frush  f  saugh  wand  ! 

And  wae  betide  the  bush  of  brier ! 
It  brake  into  my  true  love's  hand. 

When  his  strength  did  fail,  and  his  limbs  did  tire. 

1-4     "  And  wae  betide  ye,  Annan  water, 

This  night  that  ye  are  a  drumlie  river ! 
For  over  thee  I'll  build  a  bridge,  J 

That  ye  never  more  true  love  may  sever." 


THE  LAIRD  OF  WARISTOUN 

From  the  Records  of  Justiciary, %  it  appears  that  "Jean  Livingstone, 
guidewife  of  Waristoun,  h^ing  sustained  ane  deadly  rancour,  hatred, 
and  malice  against"  her  husband,  "John  Kincaid,  of  Waristoun,  for 
the  alleged  biting  of  her  in  the  arm,  and  striking  her  divers  times, 
the  said  Jean,  in  the  month  of  June,  1600  years,  directed  Janet  Murdo, 
her  nureis,  to  'Robert  Weir,  sometime  servant  to  the  Laird  of  Duni- 
pace,'  desiring  him  to  come  down  to  Waristoun  and  speak  with  her 
anent  the  cruel  and  uimatural  taking  away  of  her  husband's  life. 
And  the  said  Kobert,  having  come  down  twice  or  thrice  to  the  said 
umwhile  Jean,  to  the  said  place  of  Waristoun,  he  could  get  no  speech 
of  her.     At  jast,  the  said  umwhile  Jean,  upon  the  tirst  day  of  July. 

*  Query— cap-U-pie.    [Variegated  woollen  cloth  or  Tweed.] 
t  "  Frush :  "  brittle ;  without  cohesion  of  parts. 
X  See  Introduction  to  ballad,  p.  605. 
5  The  spelling  is  here  modernized. 


G08  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


1600  years,  directed  the  said  Janet  Murdo  her  nureiss  to  him,  desiring 
him  of  new  again  to  come  down  to  her;  whereto  the  said  Robert 
granted.  .  ,  .  And  for  performance"  of  the  said  murder  "Robert 
Weir  was  secretly  convoyed  to  ane  laich  cellcr  within  the  said  place, 
wherein  he  abade  until  midnight ;"  when  "he,  accompanied  with  the 
said  Jean  Livingstone,  came  forth  of  the  said  laich  celler,  up  to  the 
hall  of  the  said  place,  and  therefrom  came  to  the  chamber  where  the 
i?aid  umwhile  John  was  lying  in  his  bed,  taking  the  night's  rest,  and 
having  entered  within  the  said  chamber,  perceiving  the  said  John  to 
be  wakened  out  of  his  sleep  by  their  din,  and  to  press  under  his  bed- 
stock,  the  said  Robert  came  then  running  to  him,  and  most  cruelly, 
with  the  folded  neives,  gave  him  a  deadly  and  cruel  stroke  on  the 
vaine-organ  [flank -vein],  wherewith  he  dang  the  said  umwhile  John 
to  the  ground  out  over  his  bed,  and  thereafter  cruell5'^  struck  him  on 
the  belly  with  his  feet,  whereupon  he  gave  a  great  cry ;  and  the  said 
Robert,  fearing  the  cry  should  have  been  heard,  he  therefore  most 
tjTanously,  barbarously,  with  his  hand  grippet  him  by  the  throat  or 
waisen,  till  he  wearied  him ;  during  the  which  time  the  said  John 
Kincaid  lay  strugghng  axxd  fechting  m  the  pains  of  death  under  him." 

The  lady  and  her  nurse  were  quickly  apprehended,  and  met  with 
swift  punishment ;  as  the  lady  "was  ta'en  to  the  Girth  cross,*  upon 
the  fifth  day  of  July  [three  days  after  the  murder],  and  her  head 
struck /rae  her  body,  at  the  Conongate  foot,  who  died  very  patiently,  + 
[and]  her  nurse  was  burnt  at  the  same  time,  at  4  hours  in  the  morn- 
ing."— Birrel's  Diary,  p.  49. 

Weir,  the  actual  perpetrator  of  the  murder,  escaped  at  the  time,  but 
was  apprehended  three  or  four  years  thereafter,  and  ' '  the  Jury  having 
found  him  guilty,  he  was  sentenced  to  be  broken  alive  on  the  Row,  or 
Wheel,  and  be  exposed  thereon  for  twenty-four  hours ;  and  thereafter 
the  said  Row,  with  the  body  on  it,  to  be  placed  between  Leith  and 
Waristoun,  till  orders  be  given  to  bury  the  body." — Records  of 
Justiciary,  as  given  by  Mr.  Buchan. 

Three  different  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared  as  under: — 
L   "The  Laird  of  Waristoun,"  Popular  Ballads,  vol.   i.,  p. 
109,  as  communicated  to  Jamieson  by  Scott,  and  "given 
as  it  was  taken  down  by  the "  latter  "from  the  recitation 
of  his  mother. " 
IL   "The  Laird  of  Waristoun,"    K.inloch'a    Ancient   Scottish 
Ballads,  p.  49. 
IIL  "The  Death  of  Lord  Warriston,"  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads, 
vol.  i.,  p.  56. 

The  two  first  are  fragmentary,  and  the  third  seems  rather  apocry- 
phal in  some  portions. 

*  "Girth  Cross,  so  called  from  having  once  s'ood  at  the  foot  of  the  Canongate, 
near  the  Oirth  or  Sanctuary  of  Holyrood  House." — Kinloch. 

t  It  appears  from  the  narrative  of  a  contemporary  Edinburgh  clergyman,  edited 
by  C.  K.  Sharps,  Esq.,  and  printed  at  Edinburgh,  1827,  that  the  wretched  woman, 
who  was  then  only  twenty-one  years  of  age,  improved  what  was  almost  literally  her 
day  of  grace,  and  died  as  if  she  were  a  martyr,  rather  than  a  murderess,  and 
grudging  "evei-y  moment  which  she  spent  in  this  world  as  so  much  taken  from 
that  sum  of  eteriial  felicity  which  she  was  to  enjoy  in  the  next." 


THE  LAIRD   OF  WARISTOUN.  609 


The  present  version  has  been  collated  from  all  three,  and  retains 
some  of  the  emendations  introduced  by  Dr.  Chambers  in  his  collated 
version ;  given  in  The  Scottish  Ballads  Collected  and  Illustrated,  &c., 
p.  129. 

Stanzas  1,  2,  4,  5,  6,  9,  10,  20,  and  21,  are  mainly  from  Jamieson's 
version;  stanzas  3,  7,  8,  19,  and  24,  from  Kinloch's  version;  and  the 
remainder  from  Buchan's  version, 

1  Down  by  yon  bonnie  garden  green, 

Sae  merrily  as  she  gaes! 
She  has,  I  trow,  twa  weel-made  feet, 
And  she  trips  upon  her  taes. 

2  She  has  twa  weel-made  feet,  I  trow; 

Far  better  is  her  hand; 
She  is  as  jimp  in  the  middle  small 
As  ony  willow  wand. 

3  It  was  at  dinner  as  they  sat, 

And  when  they  drank  the  wine, 
How  happy  were  the  laird  and  lady 
Of  bonnie  Waristoun !  • 

4  But  Waristoun  spake  a  word  in  jest; 

Her  answer  was  not  good; 
And  he  has  thrown  a  plate  at  her, 
Made  her  mouth  gush  with  bluid. 

5  She  wasna  frae  her  chamber  door 

A  step,  but  barely  three, 
When  straightway  up  at  her  richt  hand 
There  stood  Man's  Enemie! 

6  "  Gif  ye  will  do  my  bidding,  lady, 

At  my  bidding  for  to  be, 
I'll  learn  you  a  richt  skeely  wile, 
Avenged  for  to  be. 

7  "  At  evening,  when  ye  sit  and  sup, 

And  when  ye  drink  the  wine, 

See  that  ye  fill  the  glass  weel  up 

To  the  Laird  of  Waristoun."* 


•  There  is  less  of  the  terrible  about  the  following,  but  it  is  more  in  accordance 
with  fact:— 

■'  She  'a  connsell'd  wi'  her  father's  steward. 
What  way  she  conld  revenged  be ; 
Bad  was  the  counsel  then  he  gave, 
It  was  to  gar  her  gude  lord  dee."— Buchan's  version. 
2& 


610  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF   SCOTLAND. 


8  So  at  the  table  as  they  sat, 

And  when  they  drank  the  wine, 
She  made  the  glass  aft  times  gae  round 
To  the  Laird  of  Waristoun. 

9  The  foul  thief  knotted  the  tether; 

She  lifted  his  head  on  hie, 
And  the  fause  nourice  drew  the  knot 
That  gar'd  Laird  Waristoun  dee.* 

10  Then  word  has  gane  to  Leith,  to  Leith, 

And  up  to  Edinbro'  toun, 
That  the  lady  she  has  kill'd  the  laird, 
The  Laird  of  Waristoun.f 

11  And  they've  ta'en  her  and  the  fause  nourice, 

And  in  prison  ha'e  them  boun'; 
The  nourice  she  was  hard  of  heart, 
But  the  lady  fell  in  a  swoon. 

12  Then  in  it  came  her  brother  dear; 

A  sorry  man  was  he : 
"  I  wou'd  gi'e  all  the  lands  I  ha'e, 
Bonnie  Jean,  to  borrow  thee." 

13  "  Oh,  borrow  me,  brother!  borrow  me! 

Borrowed  shall  I  never  be; 
For  I  gar'd  kill  my  ain  gude  lord, 
And  life  's  nae  joy  to  me." 

14  Then  in  it  came  her  mother  dear; 

A  sorry  woman  was  she : 
"  I  wou'd  gi'e  my  white  money  and  gowd, 
Bonnie  Jean,  to  borrow  thee." 

15  "  Borrow  me,  mother!  borrow  me! 

Borrowed  shall  I  never  be; 
For  I  gar'd  kill  my  ain  gude  lord, 
And  life's  nae  joy  to  me." 

•  "  The  nonrice  took  the  deed  in  hand ; 
I  wat  she  was  well  paid  her  fee ; 
She  kiest  the  knot,  and  the  loop  she  ran, 
Which  soon  did  gar  this  young  lord  dee." — Buchan's  version. 

t  "Word 's  gane  to  her  father,  the  great  Dnnipace, 
And  an  angry  man  was  he. 
Cry's  fy !  gar  mak  a  barrel  o'  pikes. 
And  row  her  down  some  brae.'' — Kinloch's  version. 

Contrast  with  stanzas  16  and  17,  taken  from  Buchan's  version. 


THE  LAIRD   OF  WARISTOtJN.  611 


16  Then  in  it  came  her  father  dear; 

A  sorry  man  was  he : 
"  Ochon,  alas,  my  bonnie  Jean, 
If  I  had  you  at  hame  with  me, 

17  "  Seven  daughters  I  ha'e  left  at  hame, 

As  fair  as  fair  can  be; 
But  I  wou'd  gi'e  them  all  ane  by  ane, 
0  Jean,  to  borrow  thee." 

18  "  Oh,  borrow  me,  father!  borrow  me! 

Borrowed  shall  I  never  be; 
I  that  is  worthy  of  the  death. 
It 's  richt  that  I  now  shou'd  dee. 

19  "  0  Waristoun,  I  was  your  wife, 

These  nine  years,  running  ten; 
And  I  never  lo'ed  ye  half  sae  weel 
As  when  ye  there  lay  slain ! 

20  "  And  oh,  ye  maidens  young  and  fair, 

Take  warning  now  by  me. 
And  see  ye  never  marry  ane 
But  wha  pleases  your  e'e. 

21  "  For  Waristoun  married  me  for  love, 

But  I  wed  him  for  fee ; 
And  sae  broke  out  the  deadly  feud, 
That  gar'd  my  dearie  dee. 

22  "  A  boon,  a  boon,  my  liege  the  king, 

A  boon,  I  ask  of  thee." 
"  Ask  on,  ask  on,  my  bonnie  Jean, 
Your  boon  shall  granted  be." 

23  "  Cause  take  me  out  at  nicht,  at  nicht; 

Let  the  sun  not  on  me  shine. 
And  on  yon  heading  hill  strike  aff 
This  dawie  head  of  mine. 

24  "  But  first  take  aff  my  gowd  brocade; 

Let  only  my  petticoat  be ; 
And  tie  my  mantle  o'er  my  head, 
For  my  death  I  daurna  see." 

25  Sae  they've  ta'en  her  to  the  heading  hill, 

At  mom,  alore  the  sun ; 
And  with  mournfu'  sighs  they've  ta'en  her  life, 
For  the  death  of  Waristoun. 


612  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


LADY  ANNE  BOTHWELL'S  BALOW. 

In  Brome's  "Northern  Lass,"  1632,  there  are  two  stanzas  of  a 
Lament  resembling  portions  of,  but  which  do  not  occur  verbatim  in 
any  extant  version  of  the  following  ballad.     They  are  : — 

"Peace,  wayward  bame!  oh,  cease  thy  moant 
Thy  farre  more  wayward  dkddy  's  gone, 
And  never  will  recalled  be, 
By  cryes  of  either  thee  or  me: 
For  should  we  cry  until  wo  dye, 
Wee  could  not  scant  his  cruelty. 
Hallow,  balloiB,  ttc. 

"  He  needs  might  in  himselfe  foresee. 
What  thou  successively  miglit'st  be ; 
And  could  he  then  (though  me  forgoe) 
His  infant  leave,  ere  hee  did  know 
How  like  the  dad  would  be  the  lad, 
In  time  to  make  fond  maydens  glad? 
Ballcnn,  ballow,  die." 

Four  or  five  MS.  versions  exist,  namely, — (I.)  Pinkerton's  MS., 
1625-49,  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  David  Laing,  which  contains 
two  Balowes,  named  Palmer's  and  Allan's;  (II.)  Gamble's,  1649; 
(III)  Percy's,  1650;  and  (IV.)  Rogers',  1658. 

With  the  exception  of  the  two  stanzas  quoted  above,  the  earliest 
existing  printed  version  appeared  in  Watson's  Choice  Collection  of 
Comic  and  Serious  Scots  Poems,  part  iii.,  1711,  where  it  is  given 
under  the  above  title. 

It  was  followed  by  Ramsay's,  in  the  Tea-Table  Miscellany,  1724. 
Both  versions  substantially  agree  ;  but  Professor  Child  justly  regards 
"  the  latter  as  the  better  version  of  the  two,  and  equally  authentic  ;" 
and  it  has,  moreover,  been  adopted,  with  but  slight  alterations,  by 
nearly  all  subsequent  editors  of  Scotish  ballad  lore. 

Bishop  Percy,  in  his  Reliques,  voL  ii.,  1765,  printed  seven  stanzas, 
professedly  from  his  Folio  MS.,  "corrected"  by  Ramsay's  ver- 
sion. 

In  the  Reliques  it  is  styled  "A  Scottish  Song  ;"  and  it  is  stated 
that  "  the  editor  once  thought "  it  "might  possibly  relate  to  the  Earl 
of  Bothwell  and  his  desertion  of  his  wife.  Lady  Jeau  Gordon,  to 
make  room  for  his  marriage  with  [Mary]  Queen  of  Scots  :  but  .  . 
he  has  since  been  informed  that  it  entirely  refers  to  a  private  story. 
A  young  lady  of  the  name  of  Bothwell,  or  rather  Boswell,  having 
been,  together  with  her  child,  deserted  by  her  husband  or  lover, 
composed  these  lines  hersel£  " 

An  "  account  of  the  original  personages  of  the  ballad,"  confirmatory 
of  tradition,  of  the  title  given  by  Watson,  and  of  the  circumstances 
narrated  in  his  and  Ramsay's  versions,  as  derived  from  "  a  passage 
in  Father  Hay's  History  of  the  Holyroodhouse  Family,"  appeared  in 
Chambers's  ScoUish  Ballads,  1829,  p.  133,  and  as  a  note  to  Johnson's 
Museum,  song  cxxx.,  in  Illustrations  of  tlie  Lyric  Poetry  of  Scotland, 


LADY  ANNE  BOTHWELL'S  BALOW,  613 


1853,  p.  203.*  The  information  in  the  one  beins;  derived,  and  the 
note  in  the  other,  from  the  pen  of  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.  According  to 
this  account,  the  lady  was  a  daughter  (or  grand-daughter)  to  Both- 
well,  Bishop  of  Orkney ;  her  faithless  lover  was  her  cousin,  Alexander, 
son  to  the  Earl  of  Mar.  She  is  stated  to  have  been  very  beautiful, 
and  he  extremely  handsome. 

He  served  as  a  colonel  in  the  French  army  (as  apparently  referred 
to  in  stanza  8),  but  afterwards  returned  to  Scotland,  and  engaged  in 
the  service  of  the  Covenanters. 

He  and  many  other  persons  of  distinction  belonging  to  the  same 
party  met  their  death  in  the  castle  of  Dunglass,  Berwickshire, 
by  the  explosion  of  a  powder  magazine,  said  to  have  "  been  ignited 
by  a  menial  boy,  out  of  revenge  against  his  master  "  (a.d.  1640).  It 
is  said  to  have  been  "  the  general  sentiment  of  the  time,  and  long  a 
traditionary  notion  in  his  family,  that  he  came  to  this  dreadful  end 
on  account  of  his  treatment  of  the  unhappy  lady  who  indites  the 
Lament."  Stanzas  9  and  10,  as  well  as  another  not  given,  appear  to 
refer  to  his  tragic  end,  and  if  so,  must  have  been  added  by  some 
Broadside  hack  of  the  period ;  as  the  betrayal,  and  probably  the 
composition  of  the  original  Lament,  seem  to  date  early  in  the 
seventeenth  century. 

Two  or  more  of  the  editors  of  the  Percy  Folio  MS.  (printed  text, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  515),  in  a  long  illiberal,  illogical,  and  grossly  inaccurate 
introduction  to  the  version  contained  in  that  MS.,  cavil  at  the  account 
furnished  by  C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.,  which,  on  the  other  hand,  is  vindi- 
cated by  the  writer  of  a  note  on  "  Lady  Anne  Bothwell's  Balowe," 
prefixed  to  the  facsimile  reprint  of  Watson's  Collection,  Glasgow, 
1869. 

The  text  which  follows  is  derived  from  Kamsay's  version,  but  is 
slightly  emendated  from  the  others.  One  stanza,  four  lines  of  another, 
and  two  of  a  third  have  been  left  out,  aa  they  are  far  from  poetical, 
rather  vulgar,  and  apparently  interpolated  by  an  inferior  hand. 
Stanza  6,  from  which  the  two  lines  are  deleted,  has  the  remaining 
two  of  the  other  stanza  transferred  to  it,  so  as  to  render  it  complete. 

The  chief  variations  occurring  in  the  Percy  Folio  MS.  version, 
are  here  noted  under  the  text. 

1     Balow,  my  boy,  lye  still  and  sleep ! 

It  grieves  me  sore  to  hear  thee  weep ! 

If  thou'lt  be  silent,  I'll  be  glad, 

Thy  mourning  makes  my  heart  fall  sad.f 

Balow,  my  boy,  thy  mother's  joy, 

Thy  father  bred  me  great  annoy, 

Balow,  my  boy,  lye  still  and  sleep, 
It  grieves  me  sore  to  hear  thee  weep. 

•  It  will  be  seen  from  the  introduction  to  "  The  Duke  of  Gordon's  Daughter," 
ante,  p.  548,  that  the  lady  referred  to  subsequently  consoled  herself  with  first  one 
husband,  and  then  another.  So  that  it  is  pretty  evident  she  did  not  very 
grievously  lament  her  loss. 

t  Lines  3  and  4  do  not  occur  in  the  Percy  ^fS.  copy,  but  similar  lines  appear  in 
Gamble's  and  Rogers',  and,  it  may  be  presumed,  Pmkerton's  MSS. 


614  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


2  Balow,  my  darling,  sleep  awhile, 
And  when  thou  wakest  sweetly  smile ; 
But  smile  not  as  thy  father  did 

To  cozen  maids ;  nay,  God  forbid ! 
For  in  thine  eye  his  look  I  see. 
The  tempting  look  that  ruin'd  me.* 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

3  When  he  began  to  court  my  love. 
And  with  his  sugar'd  words  to  move, 
His  fainings  false  and  flattering  cheer, 
In  time  to  me  did  not  appear; 

But  now  I  see  that  cruel  he 
Cares  neither  for  his  babe  nor  me. 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

4  Farewell,  farewell,  thou  falsest  youth 
That  ever  kiss'd  a  woman's  mouth. 

I  wish  all  maids  be  warn'd  by  me, 
Never  to  trust  thy  courtesie ; 
•    For  if  they  do,  oh !  cruel  thou 

"Wilt  [them]  f  abuse  and  care  not  how ! 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

5  I  was  too  cred'lous  at  the  first. 
To  yield  thee  all  a  maiden  durst. 
Thou  swore  for  ever  true  to  prove. 

Thy  faith  unchang'd,  unchang'd  thy  love ; 
But  quick  as  thought  the  change  is  wrought, 
Thy  love  no  more,  thy  promise  nought. 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

6  I  wish  I  were  a  maid  again ! 

From  young  men's  flattery  I'd  refrain; 
For  now  unto  my  grief  I  find, 
They  all  are  perjur'd  and  unkind. 

*  "  but  yet  I  fear  thou  wilt  go  near 
thy  father's  hart  and  fface  to  beare," 

—Percy  MS.,  stanza  3,  two  last  lines. 
"But  doe  not,  doe  not,  pretty  mine, 
to  ffaynings  false  thy  hart  incline, 
be  loyall  to  thy  louer  true, 
and  neuer  change  her  ffor  a  new. 
if  good  or  faire  of  her  haue  care, 
ffor  women's  baninge's  wonderous  sair." — Percy  MS.,  stanza  5. 

"  Beame,  by  thy  face  I  will  be  ware ; 
like  Sirens  words  lie  not  come  neere ; 
my  babe  and  I  together  will  Hue ; 
heele  comfort  me  when  cares  do  greeue 
my  babe  &  I  right  soft  will  lye 
&  neere  respect  man's  crueltye.''— Percy  MS.,  stanza  6. 

t  "  Them  "  is  here  substilnted  for  "her." 


LADY  ANNE  BOTHWELL'S  BALOW.  615 

Balow,  my  child,  thy  mother  mild, 

Shall  wail,  as  from  all  bliss  exiled. 

Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 


7  Balow,  my  boy,  weep  not  for  me. 
Whose  greatest  grief 's  for  wronging  thee. 
Nor  pity  her  deserved  smart, 

Who  can  blame  none  but  her  fond  heart; 
For  too  soon  trusting  latest  finds, 
With  fairest  tongues  *  are  falsest  minds. 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

8  Balow,  my  boy,  thy  father 's  fled, 
When  he  the  thriftless  son  had  play'd ; 
Of  vows  and  oaths  forgetful,  he 
Preferr'd  the  wars  to  thee  and  me. 
But  now,  perhaps,  thy  curse  and  mine 
Make  him  eat  acorns  with  the  swine, 

Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

9  But  curse  not  him ;  perhaps  now  he. 
Stung  with  remorse,  is  blessing  thee : 
Perhaps  at  death;  for  who  can  tell 
Whether  the  Judge  of  heaven  and  hell, 
By  some  proud  foe  has  struck  the  blow, 
And  laid  the  dear  deceiver  low? 

Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 

10     I  wish  I  were  into  the  bounds, 

Where  he  lyes  smother'd  in  his  wounds, 
Repeating,  as  he  pants  for  air. 
My  name,  whom  once  he  call'd  his  fair ; 
No  woman  's  yet  so  fiercely  set 
But  she'll  forgive,  though  not  forget.f 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 


•"Tongues "is  stupidly  changed  to  "hearts"  in  Professor  Aytoun's  Ballads  of 
Scotland.  In  this,  his  echo,  Mr.  J.  S.  Koberts,  faithfully  follows  him,  as  a  matter  of 
course ;  but  in  order  to  show  a  little  independence,  the  last-named  editor  has  dis- 
arranged the  stanzas,  and  thrust  into  his  text  Bishop  Percy's  rendering  of  the 
three  stanzas  noted  under  stanzas  2  and  10  of  the  text  here  given.  And  with  such 
palpable  poverty  of  judgment  has  he  done  this,  that  he  perpetrates  the  absurdity 
of  making  stanza  5  of  the  Bishop's  copy  precede  stanza  5  of  the  present  text. 

t  "  I  cannot  chuse,  but  euer  will, 
be  louing  to  thy  father  si  ill : 
where-ere  he  goes,  where-ere  he  ryds, 
my  loue  with  him  doth  still  abyde; 
In  weale  or  woe,  where-ere  he  goe, 

my  hart  can  neere  depart  him  ffroe." — Percy  MS.,  stanza  4. 
Stanza  4  of  John  Gamble's  MS.  Book  is  similar. 


616  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLANB. 


11     Balow,  my  boy,  I'll  weep  for  thee ; 
Too  soon,  alake,  thou'lt  weep  for  me : 
Thy  griefs  are  growing  to  a  sum, 
God  grant  thee  patience  when  they  come ; 
Born  to  sustain  thy  mother's  shame, 
A  hapless  fate,  a  bastard's  name. 
Balow,  my  boy,  &c. 


JOHNNIE  FAA. 


Great  variety  and  contrariety  of  opinion  exists  regarding  the  period 
of  the  following  ballad.  Mr.  Paterson,  in  his  Ballads  and  Songs  of 
Ayrshire,  states  that  he  is  "incUned  to  date  back  the  circumstance" 
to  the  time  of  James  V.,  which  monarch  furnished  "Johnnie  Faw, 
Lord  and  Erie  of  Little  Egypt,"  with  a  letter,  under  the  Privy  Seal, 
dated  February  15th,  1540,  "establishing  his  authority  over  the  tribe, 
and  calling  upon  all  Sheriffs  and  persons  in  authority  in  Scotland  to 
'assist  him  in  exicutione  of  justice  vpon  his  company  and  folkis.*" 

Another  account  brings  it  down  to  about  one  hundi-ed  years  later,  by 
assuming  the  heroine  to  be  Lady  Jean  Hamilton,  a  daughter  of  Thomas, 
first  Earl  of  Haddington,  who  was  married  to  "  the  grave  and  solemn  " 
John,  sixth  Earl  of  Cassilis.  One  version  of  the  story  accords  with 
the  ballad,  in  alleging  that  the  Countess  eloped  with  a  real  gypsy;  but 
other  accounts  state  that  the  bold  Lothario  was  a  Sir  John  Fall,  of 
Dunbar,  a  former  and  favoured  lover  of  the  lady.  Those  who  are  dis- 
posed to  favour  a  later  date  are,  however,  at  variance  as  to  the  precise 
time;  some  connecting  it  with  the  execution  of  Johnnie  Faa,  and 
seven  of  his  tribe,  who  were  tried  and  condemned  at  Edinburgh 
in  January,  1624;  while  Dr.  Robert  Chambers  states  that  "the 
gallant  young  knight"*  seized  "an  opportunity  when  the  Earl  was 
attending  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster"  (1643),  that  he 
came  "  disguised  as  a  gypsy,  and  attended  by  a  band  of  these  desperate 
outcasts,"  or,  as  others  say,  by  a  party  so  disguised. 

With  reference  to  the  earlier  date,  it  can  scarcely  be  supposed  that 
the  lady,  who  was  born  in  1607,  had  formed  such  an  ardent  attachment, 
abandoned,  or  been  forced  to  abandon  it,  married,  and  given  birth  to 
two  or  three  children,  by  or  before  she  was  seventeen  years  of  age ; 
while  the  latter  date  is  disposed  of  by  the  fact  that  she  died  towards 
the  close  of  1642,  as  is  shown  by  letters  to  and  from  the  Earl,  wherein 
his  "great  losse  and  heavy  visitation"  in  the  death  of  his  "beloved 
yoke-fellow,"  as  he  pathetically  styles  her  in  one  letter,  or  his  "deir 
bed-fellow,"  as  he  touchingly  designates  her  in  another,  is  mutually 
and  feelingly  deplored.  But  these  letters  not  only  demolish  the 
"Westminster  Assembly  of  Di\dnes"  period  theory,  but  also  the 
allegation  of  Lady  Jean  Hamilton  being  "the  frail  fair  one"  at  all. 

*  He  is  also  styled  "Her  youthful  lover."  But  as  the  Countess,  if  she  had  lived, 
would  then  have  been  in  her  thirty-sixth  or  thirty-seventh  year,  the  youth  of  her 
assumed  lover  does  not  appear  very  probable,  although  not  impossible. 


JOHNNIE  FAA.  617 


They  also  show  that  the  usually  accurate  Professor  Child  is  in  error, 
in  stating  that  "  letters  are  in  existence,  written  by  the  Earl  of  Cassilis 
to  the  Lady  Jean  after  the  date  of  these  events,  which  prove  the  sub- 
sistence of  a  high  degree  of  mutual  affection  and  confidence," — the 
reference  probably  being  to  the  letters  anent  her  death. 

Another  ballad  editor,  Mr.  J.  S.  Eoberts,  in  his  Legendaiy  Ballads, 
p.  510,  referring  to  the  letter  "issued  under  the  Privy  Seal  by  James 
the  Fifth"  in  favour  of  "Johnnie  Faa,"  pathetically  and  judicially, 
though  neither  accurately  nor  j  udiciously,  adds  that  this  did  not  save 
him  from  meeting  a  bad  end ;  as  we  find  that,  in  1624,  Captain  Johnnie 
Faa,  and  seven  of  his  tribe,  were  tried  as  "  vagaboundis,  someris, 
common  theieves,  callit,  knawiu,  repute,  and  halden  Egiptianes,"  and 
hanged,  as  they  no  doubt  deserved  to  be. 

Whether  any  Lady  or  Countess  of  Cassilis  eloped  in  the  manner 
described,  was  captured  at  "the  Gypsies'  Steps,"*  brought  back, 
doomed  to  witness  the  execution  of  her  lover  and  his  companions 
"upon  the  Dule  Tree,"  divorced  a  mensa  et  thoro,  imprisoned  for 
life  in  the  Castle  of  Maybole,  employed  her  leisure  hours  in  working 
the  story  of  her  flight  in  tapestry,  or  in  gazing  on  the  stone  representa- 
tion of  the  Gypsies'  heads,  carved  at  the  instance  of  her  outraged  lord, 
are  facts  or  fancies  which  it  seems  impossible  to  expiscate  and  demon- 
strate, so  as  to  establish  the  accuracy  of  the  one,  or  dispel  the 
phantasy  of  the  other. 

The  music  of  "  Lady  Cassiles  Lilt"  occurs  in  ihe  Shene  MS.  (see 
Dauney's  Ancient  Scutish  Melodies,  p.  228  and  p.  268).  The  air 
is  the  same  as  that  to  which  the  ballad  is  sung ;  but  whether  the  air 
is  anterior  or  posterior  to  the  ballad,  cannot  be  determined.  Mr. 
Dauney,  who  considers  the  Skene  MS.,  or  MSS.,  to  have  been 
penned  1615-20,  f  contends  for  the  former,  both  in  this  case  and  in 
that  of  "Ladye  Eothemayis  Lilt,"  referred  to  in  the  introduction 
to  the  ballad  of  "The  Burning  of  Frendraught,"  which  follows,  and 
necessarily  so  in  the  latter  case,  as  tha  tragedy  which  that  ballad 
commemorates  was  enacted,  without  coabt,  in  the  year  1630. 

Different  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared  in — 

L  Ramsay's  Tea-Table  Miscellany,  voL  ii.,  p.  282. 

II.  Finlay's  Scottish  Ballads,  vol.  ii.,  p.  39. 

IIL  The  Scots  Magazine  for  November,  1817,  (contributed  by 
C.  K.  Sharpe,  Esq.) 

IV.  Chambers's  Scottish  Gypsies. 

*  Dr.  Chambers  writes :  "Most  unfortunately  CO,  ere  they  had  proceeded  very  far, 
the  Earl  canae  home,  and  learning  the  fact  [of  the  elopement]  immediately  set  out 
in  pursuit."  He  also  refers  to  the  •'  Gypsies'  i>teps, "  as  distant  'a  few  miles  from  the 
Castle,"  and  the  "  capture  "  as  occurring  there,  both  of  which  Mr.  Paterson  corrects, 
stating  "  that  they  are  not  half  a  mile.  Besides,  tradition  does  not  say  that  they 
were  taken  there." — Ballads  and  Songs  of  Ayrshire,  part  i.,  p.  16. 

t  Mr.  Chappell,  who  seems  disposed  to  date  the  MS.,  or  MSS.,  a  ceutnry  later, 
appears  to  iiave  the  best  of  the  argument  in  this  case. — See  Popular  Music  of  the 
Olden  Time,  pp.  613-16. 


618  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 

V.  MacTaggart's  Scottish  Oallovidian  Encyclopedia,  p,  284.* 
VI.  Smith's  Scottish  Minstrel,  vol.  iii. ,  p.  90. 
VII.  Motherwell's    Minstrelsy  (under    the   title    of    "Gypsy 
Davie"),  p.  360. 
VIIL  Sheldon's  Minstrelsy  of  the  English  Border,  p.  329. 
IX.   The  Songs  of  England  and  Scotland,    edited  by  Peter 
Cunningham,  vol.  ii,  p.  346. 

Ramsay's  version  is  the  one  chiefly  followed;  but  three  stanzas 
have  been  deleted  and  three  added,  namely  3  and  4  from  Finlay's, 
and  7  from  C.  K.  Sharpe's  versions.  The  first  and  last  of  the  added 
stanzas  are  similar,  but  superior  to  those  deleted. 

1  The  gypsies  came  to  our  good  lord's  yett, 

And  oh,  but  they  sang  sweetly; 
They  sang  sae  sweet,  and  sae  very  complete, 
That  down  came  our  fair  ladye. 

2  And  she  came  tripping  down  the  stair, 

And  all  her  maids  before  her; 
As  soon  as  they  saw  her  well-fared  face, 
They  coost  the  glamour  o'er  lier.f 

3  "  Oh,  come  with  me,"  says  Johnnie  Faa, 

"  Oh,  come  with  me,  my  dearie ; 
For  I  vow  and  I  swear  by  the  hilt  of  my  sword. 
That  your  lord  shall  nae  mair  come  near  ye." 

•  This  "  straugest  of  all  human  editors,"  as  Motherwell  designates  him,  in 
introducing  what  appears  to  be  a  burlesque  written  by  himself,  writes:— 

"Many  editions  of  the  song  of  the  'Gypsie  Laddie'  have  now  been  given  to  the 
world;  but  was  ever  this  one  of  mine  given?  Never — and  I  believe  it  to  be  as 
gentiine  as  any  that  ever  appeared."    The  following  specimen  may  suffice: — 

"  On  they  mounted  and  af  they  rade, 
Ilk  gypsie  had  a  cuddy. 
And  when  through  the  S/incker  they  did  prance, 
They  made  the  water  muddy. 

"  (Quo'  she),  'Aft  time  this  water  I  ha'e  rade 
Wi'  mony  a  lord  and  lady ; 
But  now  I  maun  sleep  in  an  auld  reeky  kiln, 
Alang  wi'  a  gypsey  laddie.' " 

t  "  Glamour,  according  to  Scottish  interpretation,  is  that  supernatural  power  of 
imposing  on  the  eyesight,  by  which  the  appearance  of  an  object  shall  be  totally 
different  from  the  reality. 

"  Mr.  [afterwards  Sir  Walter]  Scott,  describing  the  wonderful  volume  of  Michael 
of  Balwearie,  says, — 

'  It  had  much  of  glamour  migh*^, 
Could  make  a  lady  seem  a  knight; 
The  cobwebs  on  a  dungeon  wall 
Seem  tapestry  in  a  lordly  hall ; 
A  nutshell  seem  a  gilded  barge, 
A  sheeling  seem  a  palace  large. 
And  youth  seem  age,  and  age  seem  youth — 
All  was  delusion,  nought  was  truth.' " 

— C.  K.  Sharpe,  in  the  Scots  Magazine. 


THE  FIRE   OF  FRENDRAUGHT.  619 


4  Then  she  gied  them  the  red  red  wine, 

And  they  gied  her  the  ginger ; 
But  she  gied  them  a  far  better  thing, — 
The  gowd  ring  aflf  her  finger, 

5  "  Gae  take  frae  me  this  gay  mantle, 

And  bring  to  me  a  plaidie; 
For  if  kith,  and  kin,  and  all  had  sworn, 
I'll  follow  the  gypsie  laddie. 

6  "  Yestreen  I  lay  in  a  well-made  bed. 

With  my  good  lord  beside  me; 
This  night  I'll  lie  in  a  tenant's  barn, 
Whatever  shall  betide  me  ! " 

7  "  Oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  hiuny  and  my  heart, 

oh,  hold  your  tongue,  my  dearie  ; 
For  I  vow  and  swear,  by  the  moon  and  the  stars, 
That  your  lord  shall  nae  mair  come  near  ye." 

8  But  when  our  lord  came  hame  at  e'en, 

And  speir'd  for  his  fair  ladye. 
The  ane  she  cried,  and  the  other  replied, 
"  She  's  away  with  the  gypsie  laddie  ! " 

9  "  Gae  saddle  to  me  the  black,  black  steed, 

Gae  saddle  and  make  him  ready; 
Before  that  I  either  eat  or  sleep, 
I'll  gae  seek  my  fair  ladye." 

10     Oh,  they  were  fifteen  well-made  men, 
Altho'  they  were  nae  bonnie ; 
And  they  were  all  put  down  for  ane, 
A  fair  young  wanton  ladye.* 


THE  FIRE  OF  FRENDRAUGHT. 

From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  161. 

Considerable  obscurity  rests  on  the  fatal  catastrophe  which  the 
following  ballad  commemorates. 

The  circumstances  which  immediately  preceded  and  accompanied 
it  are  fully  narrated  by  "  Spalding,  who  Uved  not  far  from  the  place, 
and  had  the  account  from  eye-witnesses."  f 

*  "They"  is  here  substituted  in  place  of  "we,"  in  lines  1,  2,  and  3  of  this  stanza. 
"  But''  is  also  sometimes  used  in  place  of  "for,"  line  3,  and  necessarily,  if  the  stanza 
is  made  to  read  as  if  it  were  written  by  one  of  the  gypsies.  Such  a  reading,  as  also 
the  tradition  which  supports  it,  are,  however,  both  equally  at  variance  with  the 
previous  tenor  of  the  ballad,  as  the  most  superficial  reader  may  see  at  a  glance. 

t  Gordon's  History  o/  the  JUustriovs  Family  of  Gordon. 


620  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


From  this  account  we  learn  that  a  skirmish  took  place  in  Banffshire, 
in  January,  1630,  between  Sir  James  Crichton,  Laird  of  Fran  draught, 
with  some  of  his  friends,  on  the  one  part,  and  William  Gordon  of 
Ex)thiemay,  with  some  of  his  friends,  on  the  other  part.  Rothiemay 
was  slain  in  the  action,  and  Frendraught  was  ordered  by  the  Marquis 
of  Huntly,  feudal  superior  of  both,  "to  pay  fifty  thousand  merks 
Scots,  in  compensation  of  the  slaughter,  which,  as  is  said,  was  truly 
paid." 

Upon  the  27th  of  September  following,  an  altercation  took  place 
between  Frendraught  and  James  Lesly,  son  to  the  Laird  of  Pitcaple, 
when  the  latter  was  shot  in  the  arm  by  Robert  Crichton,  one  of 
Frendraught's  party.  The  Marquis  of  Huntly  endeavoured  to  make 
up  this  quarrel  also  j  but  the  Laird  of  Pitcaple  would  not  listen  to 
terms  until  he  knew  whether  his  son  would  recover. 

The  marquis  kept  Frendraught  in  his  house  for  a  day  or  two,  and 
then  sent  him  home  under  escort  of  his  son,  John  Gordon,  Viscount 
of  Melgum  and  Aboyne,  and  others,  John  Gordon  of  Rothiemay,  son 
to  him  lately  slain,  being  one  of  the  party.  By  Frendraught  and  his 
Lady,  they  were  entertained  bountifully,  and  prevailed  upon  to  stay, 
when,  having  "  supped  merrily,"  they  "  went  to  bed  joyfully." 

They  were  lodged  in  three  several  storeys  of  the  old  tower,  when 
"  all  being  at  rest,  about  midnight,  that  dolorous  tower  took  fire,  in 
so  sudden  and  furious  a  manner  that  the  noble  Viscount,  the  Laird 
of  Rothiemaj'',  English  Will,  Colonel  Ivat,  and  other  two,  being  six 
in  number,  were  cruelly  burnt  and  tormented  to  the  death,  without 
help  or  relief 

"Robert  Gordon,  called  Sutherland  Robert,  being  in  the  Viscount's 
chamber,  escaped  this  fire  with  the  life.  George  Chalmers  and 
Captain  Rollick,  being  in  the  third  room,  escaped  also  this  fire  ;  and 
as  was  said,  Aboyne  (the  Viscount)  might  have  saved  himself  also 
if  he  would  have  gone  out  of  doors,  which  he  would  not  do,  but 
suddenly  ran  up  stairs  to  Rothiemay's  chamber  and  wakened  him 
to  rise ;  and  as  he  is  wakening  him,  the  timber  passage  and  lofting 
of  the  chamber  hastily  takes  fire,  so  that  none  of  them  could  win 
down  stairs  again ;  so  they  turned  to  a  window  looking  to  the  close, 
where  they  piteously  cried  many  times,  Help,  help  !  for  God's  cause ! 
The  Laird  and  the  Lady,  with  their  servants,  all  seeing  and  hearing  the 
woeful  crying,  made  no  help  nor  manner  of  helping,  which  they 
perceiving,  cried  oftentimes  mercy  at  God's  hands  for  their  sins,  syne 
clasped  in  others'  arms,  and  cheerfully  suffered  their  martyrdom.  No 
man  can  express  the  dolour  of  the  noble  Marquis  and  his  Lady,  nor 
yet  the  grief  of  the  Viscount's  own  dear  Lady,  when  it  came  to  her 
ears,  which  she  kept  to  her  dying  day,  disdaining  after  the  company 
of  man  in  her  lifetime,  following  the  love  of  the  turtle-dove. "  • 

"  The  rumour  of  this  unhappy  accident  did  speedily  spread  itself 
throughout  the  whole  kingdom,  every  man  bewailing  it,  and  con- 
struing it  diversely,  as  their  affections  led  them  ;  some  laying  ane 
aspersion  upon  Frendraught,  as  if  he  had  wilfully  destroyed  his 
guests,  who  had  come  thither  to  defend  him  against  his  enemies, 
which  carried  no  appearance  of  truth ;  for,  besides  the  improbability  of 

*  Spalding's  History  of  the  Troubles  in  Scotland. 


THE   FIRE   OF  FBENDRAUGIIT.  621 


the  matter,  he  did  lose  therein  a  great  quantity  of  silver,  both  coined 
and  uncoined,  and  likewise  all  his  writs  and  evidents  were  therein 
burnt ;  others  ascribed  it  to  an  accidental  fire ;  but  most  part  even 
presently,  suspected  it  to  come  from  the  Leslies  and  their  adherents, 
who  were  then  so  enraged  against  Freudraught,  that  they  gave  out 
openly  they  would  turn  the  place  of  Frendraught,  and  had  dealt 
to  this  effect  with  the  rebel,  James  Grant,  who  was  Pitcaple,  his 
cousin-german.  This  was  proved,  in  presence  of  the  Lords  of  the 
Council,  against  John  Meldrum  and  Alexander  Leslie,  the  Laird  of 
Pitcaple  his  [brother-in-law  and]  brother,  by  two  of  James  Grant's 
men,  who  were  apprehended  at  Inverness,  and  sent  to  the  Lords  of 
the  Council  by  Sir  Robert  Gordon  (tutor  of  Sutherland),  sheriff  of 
that  shire." — Genealogical  History  of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherland. 

Meldrum  was,  on  circumstantial  evidence,  "convicted  and  con- 
demned to  be  hanged  to  the  death  at  the  cross  of  Edinburgh ;  his 
head  to  be  stricken  frae  his  shoulders,  and  his  body  demaimed  and 
quartered,  and  set  up  on  exemplary  places  of  the  town,  in  example 

of  others  to  do  the  like.     He  was  executed  upon  the  day  of 

August ;  and  died  without  any  certain  and  real  confession,  as  was 
said,  anent  this  doleful  lire. " — Spalding. 

"  This  tragical  event  forms  the  subject  of  two  poems,  written  by 
Ai-thur  Johnston,  the  one  of  which  is  entitled  '  Querela  Sophise 
Hayse,  Dominae  de  Melgeine,  de  morti  mariti ; '  and  the  other,  '  De 
loanne  Gordonio,  Vicecomite  de  Melgein,  and  loanne  Gordonio  de 
Rothimay  in  arce  Frendriaca  combustis." — Vide  Delitice  Poetarum. 
ScQtorum,  Amst.,  1637,  tom.  i.,  pp.  585,  &c 

"Ladye  Rothemayis  Lilt "  is  contained  in  one  of  the  Skene  MSS. 
which  Mr.  Dauney  assigns  to  a.d.  1615-20.  If  so,  it  is  anterior  to, 
and  therefore  could  not  possibly  be  composed  for  the  ballad.  Mr. 
Dauney  supposes  the  Lilt  to  have  been  composed  in  celebration  of 
the  marriage  of  the  unfortunate  Laird  of  Rothiemay  with  the  lady 
whose  love  and  constancy  are  so  touchingly  referred  to  by  Spalding, 
as  above  quoted.  But  why  it  should  have  been  called  forth  by  tlieir 
marriage  he  showeth  not.     See  ante,  p.  617. 

"  The  modern  ballad  of  '  Frennet  Hall '  first  appeared,  we  believe, 
in  Herd's  Collection,  and  was  belike  written  by  the  ingenious  hands 
to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  ballads  of  '  Duncan '  and  '  Kenneth,' 
occurring,  in  the  same  work ;  and  which,  by  the  way,  we  may  be 
pardoned  for  saying,  are  but  indifferent  imitations  of  the  ancient 
ballad  style.  '  Frennet  Hall '  was  subsequently  published  by  Ritson 
and  Finlay  in  their  respective  Collections,  both  of  whom  give  a  few 
stanzas  of  the  ancient  ballad,  differing,  however,  some  little  from  the 
corresponding  verses  in  the  present  copy,  biat  not  more  so  than  may 
be  looked  for  in  all  cases  where  poetry  is  indebted  for  its  preservation 
to  tradition  alone.  * 

"  For  the  recovery  of  this  interesting  ballad,  hitherto  supposed  to 
have  been  lost,  the  public  is  indebted  to  the  industrious  research  of 

*  The  stanzas  referred  to  are  five  in  number,  and  were  communicated  to  Ritson 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Boyd,  the  translator  of  Dante.  (See  ante,  p.  471.)  Two  of  them  are 
inserted  ah  notes  under  the  text;  one  is  absurdly  inaccurate,  but  resembles  stanza 
11 ;  while  the  remaining  two  are  almost  identical  with  stanzas  14  and  17  of  the 
text 


622  BALLAD   MIXSTRFXSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Charles  Kirkpatrick  Sharpe,  Esq.,  of  Edinburgh."  It  first  appeared 
in  "  A  North  Countrie  Garland,  hut  with  this  disadvantage  of  con- 
taining a  very  considerable  number  of  slight  verbal  and  literal 
inaccuracies,  which  in  the  present  copy  are  carefully  corrected  by 
collation  with  Mr.  Sharpe's  MS." — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  161. 

"  Frennet  Hall "  appears  in  Johnson's  Museum,  song  cclxxxvi. ;  and 
in  a  Note  thereon,  Mr.  Stenhouse  raves  against  Frendraught  and 
his  lady,  styling  the  former  an  "ungrateful  villain,  and  inhuman 
murderer,"  and  the  latter,  "  a  fit  companion  for  such  a  wretch  as 
Lady  Macbeth,"  with  other  epithets  unfit  for  ears  polite. 

Dr.  Robert  Chambers,  in  the  pamphlet  referred  to  in  the  Intro- 
duction, and  in  the  body  of  the  work,  ante,  p.  454,  &c.,  puts  his 
imprimatur  to  this  ballad  as  a  "  contemporaneous  metrical  chronicle." 

This,  however,  is  much  more  doubtful  than  in  the  case  of  most 
of  those  ballads  the  authenticity  of  which  he  professes  to  doubt. 

1  The  eighteenth  of  October, 

A  dismal  tale  to  hear, 
How  good  Lord  John  and  Eothiemay 
Were  both  burnt  in  the  fire. 

2  When  steeds  were  saddled  and  well  bridled, 

And  ready  for  to  ride, 
Then  out  it  came  her  false  Frendraught, 
Inviting  them  to  bide. 

3  Said — "  Stay  this  night  until  we  sup, 

The  mom  until  we  dine ; 
'Twill  be  a  token  of  good  'greement 
'Twixt  your  good  lord  and  mine." 

4  "  We'll  turn  again,"  said  good  Lord  John — 

"  But  no,"  said  Rothiemay — 
"  My  steed 's  trapann'd,  my  bridle 's  broke, 
I  fear  the  day  I'm  fey." 

5  When  mass  was  sung,  and  bells  were  rung, 

And  all  men  bound  for  bed, 
Then  good  Lord  John  and  Rothiemay 
In  one  chamber  were  laid. 

6  They  had  not  long  cast  off  their  clothes, 

And  were  but  new  asleep, 
When  the  weary  smoke  began  to  rise, 
Likewise  the  scorching  heat.* 

•  "  The  reek  it  rose,  and  the  flame  it  flew. 
And  oh,  the  flre  augmented  high. 
Until  it  came  to  Lord  John  s  chamber  window, 
And  to  the  bed  where  Lord  John  [did  lie]  lay."' — Eitscn. 


THE   FIRE   OF  FRENDRAUGHT.  623 


7  "  Oh,  waken,  waken,  Eothiemay, 

Oh,  waken,  brother  dear; 
And  turn  you  to  our  Saviour  , 
There  is  strong  treason  here." 

8  When  they  were  dress'd  in  their  clothes, 

And  ready  for  to  boun. 
The  doors  and  windows  were  all  secur'd, 
The  roof-tree  burning  down. 

9  He  did  him  to  the  wire-window. 

As  fast  as  he  cou'd  gang ; 
Says — "Wae  to  the  hands  put  in  the  stancheons, 
For  out  we'll  never  win." 

10  When  he  stood  at  the  wire-window, 

Most  doleful  to  be  seen, 
He  did  espy  her.  Lady  Frendraught, 
Who  stood  upon  the  green. 

11  Cried — "Mercy,  mercy.  Lady  Frendraught, 

Will  ye  not  sink  with  sin  ? 
For  first  your  husband  kill'd  my  father. 
And  now  you  burn  his  son." 

12  Oh,  then  out  spoke  her,  Lady  Frendraught, 

And  loudly  did  she  cry — 
"  It  were  great  pity  for  good  Lord  John, 

But  none  for  Eothiemay. 
But  the  keys  are  casten  in  the  deep  draw-well, 

Ye  cannot  get  away."  * 

13  While  he  stood  in  this  dreadful  plight, 

Most  piteous  to  be  seen, 
There  called  out  his  servant,  Gordon, 
As  he  had  frantic  been,  f 

14  "  Oh,  loup,  oh,  loup,  my  dear  master, 

Oh,  loup  and  come  to  me ; 
I'll  catch  you  in  my  arms  two, 
One  foot  I  will  not  flee. 

♦  Mr.  Finlay,  who  searched  for  this  ballad  In  vain,  gives,  in  the  words  of  a  corre- 
spondent, some  particulars  regarding  it,  which  are  here  subjoined  as  illustrative  of 
the  lines  above  cited: — "A  lady,  a  near  relation  of  mine,  lived  near  the  spot  in  her 
youth  for  some  time,  and  remembers  having  heard  the  old  song  mentioned  by 
Ritson,  but  cannot  repeat  it.  She  says  there  was  a  verse  which  stated  that  the  lord 
and  lady  locked  the  door  of  the  tower,  and  flung  the  keys  into  the  draw-well;  and 
that;  many  years  ago,  when  the  well  was  cleared  out,  this  tradition  was  corroborated 
by  their  fliiding  the  keys, — at  least  such  was  the  report  of  the  country." — Preface  to 
Scottish  HUtorical  and  Romantic  Ballads,  p.  xxi. 

t  "  He  looked  east,  he  looked  west, 
To  see  if  any  help  was  n'gh ; 
At  length  his  little  page  he  saw, 

Who  to  his  lord  aloud  did  cry." — Ritson. 


624  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

15  "  Oh,  loup,  oh,  loup,  my  dear  master, 

Oh,  loup,  and  come  away, 

I'll  catch  you  in  my  arras  two, 

But  Eothiemay  may  lie." 

16  "  The  fish  shall  never  swim  in  the  flood, 

Nor  corn  grow  through  the  clay, 
Nor  the  fiercest  fire  that  was  ever  kindled 
Twine  me  and  Eothiemay. 

17  "  But  I  cannot  loup,  I  cannot  come, 

I  cannot  win  to  thee ; 
My  head 's  fast  in  the  wire-window, 
My  feet  burning  from  me. 

18  "  My  eyes  are  seething  in  my  head, 

My  flesh  roasting  also  ; 
My  bowels  are  boiling  with  my  blood; 
Is  not  that  a  woful  woe  ? 

19  "  Take  here  the  rings  from  my  white  fingers, 

That  are  so  long  and  small, 
And  give  them  to  my  Ladye  fair, 
Where  she  sits  in  her  hall. 

20  "  So  I  cannot  loup,  I  cannot  come, 

I  cannot  loup  to  thee — 
My  earthly  part  is  all  consumed, 
My  spirit  but  speaks  to  thee." 

21  Wringing  her  hands,  tearing  her  hair, 

His  Ladye  she  was  seen, 
And  thus  addressed  his  servant,  Gordon, 
Where  he  stood  on  the  green  : 

22  "  Oh,  wae  be  to  you,  George  Gordon, 

An  ill  death  may  you  die ; 
So  safe  and  sound  as  you  stand  there, 
And  my  Lord  bereaved  from  me." 

23  "  I  bade  him  loup,  I  bade  him  come, 

I  bade  him  loup  to  me, 
I'd  catch  him  in  my  arms  two, 
A  foot  I  shou'd  not  flee. 

24  "  He  threw  me  the  rings  from  his  white  fingers, 

Which  were  so  long  and  small, 
To  give  to  you  his  Ladye  fair. 
Where  you  sat  in  your  hall." 


I 


ANDREW  LAMMIE.  625 


25  Sophia  Hay,  Sophia  Hay, 

Oh,  bonnie  Sophia  was  her  name — 
Her  waiting  maids  put  on  her  clothes, 
But  I  wat  she  tore  them  oflf  again. 

26  And  aft  she  cried,  "  Ohon !  alas  I 

A  sair  heart 's  ill  to  win ; 
I  wan  a  sair  heart  when  I  married  him, 
And  the  day  it 's  well  returned  again. 


ANDEEW  LAMMIE. 


From  Motherwell's  Minstrelsy,  p.  239. 

"The  ill-starred  loves  of  'Tiftie's  Bonnie  Annie,'  and  the 
'Trumpeter  of  Fyvie,'  have  already  been  made  familiar  to  the 
readers  of  ballad  poetry  by  Mr.  Jamieson,  who  has  published  in 
his  collection  two  different  sets  of  this  simple,  but  not  unpathetic 
ditty.  [See  Popular  Ballads  and  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  129;  and  vol.  ii., 
p.  382.]  Neither  of  these  sets,  however,  is  so  complete  as  the 
present  version,  which  is  a  reprint  from  a  stall  copy,  published  in 
Glasgow  several  years  ago,  collated  with  a  recited  copy,  which  has 
furnished  one  or  two  verbal  improvements.* 

"  It  has  [also]  been  remarked  by  Mr.  Jamieson,  that '  this  ballad 
is  almost  entirely  without  rhymes ;  as  cadence  in  the  measure  is  all 
that  seems  aimed  at,  and  the  few  instances  of  rhyme  that  occur 
appear  to  be  rather  casual  than  intentional.'  Though  the  present 
set  is  not  so  faulty  in  this  respect  as  in  the  copies  which  came  under 
Mr.  Jamieson's  observation,  it,  as  well  as  the  others,  has  another 
peculiarity  deserving  attention, — namely,  the  studied  recurrence  of 
rhyme  in  the  middle  of  the  first  and  third  lines  of  a  great  many  of 
the  stanzas. 

"It  may  be  stated,  that  the  present  set  of  the  ballad  agrees  with 
any  recited  copy  which  the  editor  has  hitherto  met  with  in  the  West 
Country." — MotherwelL 

[From  Mr.  P.  Buchan's  Oleanings,  p.  197,  we  learn  that  this  tragic 
story  formed  the  plot  of  a  drama  acted  in  the  North  Country,  in  the 
year  1674.  And  the  same  editor  states,  that,  "The  unfortunate 
maiden's  name  was  Annie,  or  Agnes  (which  are  synonymous  in  some 
parts  of  Scotland)  Smith,  who  died  of  a  broken  heart,  on  the  9th 
Januaiy,  1631, — as  is  to  be  found  on  a  roughly-cut  stone,  broken  in 
many  pieces,  in  the  green  church-yard  of  Fyvie. " 

"The  beauty,  gallantry,  and  amiable  qualities  of  'Bonnie  Andrew 
Lammie'  seem,"  says  Mr.  Jamieson,  "to  have  been  proverbial  wher- 
ever he  went ;  and  the  good  old  '  cummer '  in  Allan  Kamsay,  as  the 

•  [The  writer  possesses  a  volume  contafning  flfty-eight  ballad  and  song  chap-books, 
"printed  by  J.  and  M.  Robertson,  Saltmarket,"  Glasgow,  1806-9.  In  one  of  them,  dated 
1808,  "  Andrew  Lammie  "  is  given  with  only  a  few  slight  verbal  differences  between 
it  and  the  copy  here  printed.] 

2s 


626  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


best  evidence  of  the  power  of  her  own  youthful  charms,  and  the 
best  apology  for  her  having  '  cast  a  leggen  girth  hersel,'  says — 

'  I'se  warrant  ye  have  a'  heard  tell 
Of  bonnie  Andrew  Lammie? 
Stiffly  in  luve  wl'  me  he  fell, 
As  soon  as  e  er  he  saw  me — 
That  was  a  day!' 

"In  this  instance,  as  in  most  others  in  the  same  piece,  it  seems 
most  probable  that  Allan  Ramsay  forgot  that  he  was  writing  of  the 
days  of  the  original  author  of  'Christis  Kirk  on  the  Green,'  and 
copied  only  the  manners  and  traditions  of  his  own  times. 

'*  What  afterwards  became  of  '  Bonnie  Andrew  Lammie,'  we  have 
not,"  adds  Mr.  Jamieson,  "been  able  to  learn;  but  the  current 
tradition  of  the  '  Lawland  leas  of  Fyvie,'  says,  that,  some  years 
subsequent  to  the  melancholy  fate  of  poor  '  Tyfty's  Nanny '  [or 
Annie],  her  sad  story  being  mentioned,  and  the  ballad  sung  in  a 
company  in  Edinburgh  when  he  was  present,  he  remained  silent  and 
motionless,  till  he  was  discovered  by  a  groan  suddenly  bursting  from 
him,  and  several  of  the  buttons  flying  from  Ms  waistcoat  ;^^  *  which 
remarkable  instance  of  the  strength  of  his  affection,  "wiU,"  says 
Mr.  Jamieson,  "  immediately  put  the  reader  of  taste  in  mind  of  the 
exquisite  picture  of  nature  in  Shakespeare,  where  King  Lear  calls 
to  those  about  him  to  unbutton  him.  But  the  peasants  in  the 
'Bonnie  Bows  o'  Fyvie,'  borrowed  this  striking  characteristic  of 
excessive  grief  neither  from  the  statue  of  Laocoon  and  his  Sons,  nor 
from  the  description  of  Shakespeare,  but  from  nature. " 

The  copy  printed  by  Mr.  Jamieson  in  his  first  volume,  is  entitled, 
"  The  Trumpeter  of  Fyvie,"  and  was,  as  he  states,  "  taken  down  by 
Dr.  Leyden  from  the  recitation  of  a  young  lady  (Miss  Robson),  of 
Edinburgh,  who  learned  it  in  Teviotdale.  .  .  The  music  by  which 
it  is  usually  accompanied  is  of  that  class  which,  in  Teviotdale,  they 
term  a  Northern  Drawl ;  and  a  Perthshire  set  of  it,  but  two  notes 
lower  than  it  is  commonly  sung,  is  to  be  found  in  Johnson's  Scots 
Musical  Museum,  to  the  song — 

'How  lang  and  drearie  is  the  night,'  &o." 

The  other  version,  which  appears  in  his  Appendix,  No.  IV.,  vol.  ii., 
is  entitled  "  Tifty's  Nanny,"  and  is  stated  to  be  "  from  a  staU  copy, 
procured  from  Scotlandi"] 

1  At  Mill  o'  Tifty  lived  a  man, 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Fyvie ; 
He  had  a  lovely  daughter  fair, 
Was  called  bonnie  Annie. 

2  Her  bloom  was  like  the  springing  flower, 

That  salutes  the  rosy  morning ; 
With  innocence,  and  graceful  mien, 
Her  beauteous  form  adorning. 

*  See  ante,  p.  607,  stanza  11. 


ANDREW  LAMMIE.  627 


3  Lord  Fyvie  had  a  Trumpeter, 

Whose  name  was  Andrew  Lammie ; 
He  had  the  art  to  gain  the  heart 
Of  Mill  o'  Tifty's  Annie. 

4  Proper  he  was,  both  young  and  gay, 

His  like  was  not  in  Fyvie ; 
No  one  was  there  that  cou'd  compare 
With  this  same  Andrew  Lammie. 

5  Lord  Fyvie  he  rode  by  the  door 

Where  lived  Tifty's  Annie  ; 
His  Trumpeter  rode  him  before, 
Even  this  same  Andrew  Lammie. 

6  Her  mother  call'd  her  to  the  door, — 

"  Come  here  to  me,  my  Annie ; 
Did  you  ever  see  a  prettier  man 
Than  the  Trumpeter  of  Fyvie?" 

7  She  sighM  sore,  but  said  no  more ; 

Alas  for  bonnie  Annie  ! 
She  durst  not  own  her  heart  was  won 
By  the  Trumpeter  of  Fyvie. 

8  At  night,  when  they  went  to  their  beds, 

All  slept  full  sound  but  Annie ; 

Love  so  opprest  her  tender  breast, 

Thinking  on  Andrew  Lammie. 

9  "  Love  comes  in  at  ray  bed-side, 

And  love  lies  down  beyond  me ; 
Love  has  possess'd  my  tender  breast, 
And  love  will  waste  my  body. 

10  "  The  first  time  I  and  my  love  met, 

Was  in  the  woods  of  Fyvie ; 
His  lovely  form  and  speech  so  sweet 
Soon  gain'd  the  heart  of  Annie. 

11  "  He  call'd  me  mistress ;  I  said  No, — 

I'm  Tifty's  bonnie  Annie ; 
With  apples  sweet  he  did  me  treat, 
And  kisses  soft  and  many. 

12  "  It 's  up  and  down  in  Tifty's  den, 

Where  the  burn  runs  clear  and  bonnie, 
I've  often  gone  to  meet  my  love, 
My  bonnie  Andrew  Lammie." 


628  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


18    But  now,  alas !  her  father  heard, 
That  the  Trumpeter  of  Fy vie 
Had  had  the  art  to  gain  the  heart 
Of  Tifty's  bonnie  Annie. 

14  Her  father  soon  a  letter  wrote, 

And  sent  it  on  to  Fyvie, 
To  tell  his  daughter  was  bewitch'd 
By  his  servant,  Andrew  Lammie. 

15  When  Lord  Fyvie  had  this  letter  read, 

Oh  dear !  but  he  was  sorry ; 
"The  bonniest  lass  in Fyvie's  land 
Is  bewitch'd  by  Andrew  Lammie." 

16  Then  up  the  stair  his  Trumpeter 

He  called  soon  and  shortly : 
"  Pray,  tell  me  soon,  what 's  this  you've  done 
To  Tifty's  bonnie  Annie  ?  " 

17  "In  wicked  art  I  had  no  part. 

Nor  therein  am  I  cannie ; 
True  love  alone  the  heart  has  won 
Of  Tifty's  bonnie  Annie. 

18  "  [But]  woe  betide  Mill  o'  Tifty's  pride, 

For  it  has  ruin'd  many ; 
He'll  no  ha'e  't  said  that  she  shou'd  wed 
The  Trumpeter  of  Fyvie. 

19  "  Where  will  I  find  a  boy  so  kind, 

That'll  carry  a  letter  cannie ; 

Who  will  run  on  to  Tifty's  town, 

Give  it  to  my  love  Annie  ?  " 

20  "  Here  you  shall  find  a  boy  so  kind, 

Who'll  carry  a  letter  cannie ; 
Who  will  run  on  to  Tifty's  town, 
And  gi'e  't  to  thy  love  Annie." 

21  "  It 's  Tifty  he  has  daughters  three. 

Who  all  are  wond'rous  bonnie ; 
But  ye'U  ken  her  o'er  all  the  lave, — 
Gi'e  that  to  bonnie  Annie." 

22  "  It 's  up  and  down  in  Tifty's  den. 

Where  the  burn  rins  clear  and  bonnie. 
There  wilt  thou  come  and  meet  thy  love, 
Thy  bonnie  Andrew  Lammie. 


ANDREW  LAMMIE.  C29 


23  "  When  wilt  thou  come,  and  I'll  attend, 

My  love,  I  long  to  [greet]  thee  ?  " 
"  Thou  may'st  come  to  the  Bridge  of  Sleugh, 
And  there  I'll  come  and  meet  thee." 

24  "  My  love,  I  go  to  Edinbro', 

And  for  a  while  must  leave  thee." 
She  sighed  sore,  and  said  no  more, — 
"  But  I  wish  that  I  were  with  thee." 

25  "I'll  buy  to  thee  a  bridal  gown. 

My  love,  I'll  buy  it  bonnie." 
"  But  I'll  be  dead  ere  ye  come  back 
To  see  your  bonnie  Annie." 

26  "  If  you'll  be  true,  and  constant  too, 

As  my  name 's  Andrew  Lammie, 
I  shall  thee  wed  when  I  come  back 
To  see  the  lands  of  Fyvie." 

27  "  I  will  be  true,  and  constant  too, 

To  thee,  my  Andrew  Lammie ; 
But  my  bridal-bed  will  ere  then  be  made 
In  the  green  churchyard  of  Fyvie." 

28  "  Our  time  is  gone  and  now  comes  on, 

My  dear,  that  I  must  leave  thee ; 
If  longer  here  I  shou'd  appear. 
Mill  o'  Tifty  he  wou'd  see  me. 

29  "  I  now  for  ever  bid  adieu 

To  thee,  my  Andrew  Lammie 
Ere  ye  come  back,  I  will  be  laid 
In  the  green  churchyard  of  Fyvie." 

30  He  hied  him  to  the  head  of  the  house, 

To  the  house-top  of  Fyvie ; 
He  blew  his  trumpet  loud  and  schill, 
'Twas  heard  at  Mill  o'  Tifty. 

31  Her  father  lock'd  the  door  at  night. 

Laid  by  the  keys  fu'  cannie ; 
And  when  he  heard  the  trumpet  sound, 
Said — "  Your  cow  is  lowing,  Annie." 

32  "  My  father  dear,  I  pray  forbear, 

And  reproach  no  more  your  Annie; 
For  I'd  rather  hear  that  cow  to  low, 
Than  ha'e  all  the  kine  in  Fyvie. 


630  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


33  "  I  wou'd  not  for  my  braw  new  gown, 

And  all  your  gifts  sae  many, 

That  it  were  told  in  Fyvie's  land, 

How  cruel  you  are  to  Annie. 

34  "  But  if  ye  strike  me,  I  will  cry, 

And  gentlemen  will  hear  me ; 
Lord  Fyvie  will  be  riding  by, 
And  he'll  come  in  and  see  me." 

35  At  the  same  time,  the  Lord  came  in; 

He  said — "What  ails  thee,  Annie?" 
"  'Tis  all  for  love  now  I  must  die, 
For  bonnie  Andrew  Lammie." 

86     "  Pray,  Mill  of  Tifty,  gi'e  consent, 
And  let  your  daughter  marry," 
"  It  will  be  with  some  higher  match 
Than  the  Trumpeter  of  Fyvie." 

37     "  If  she  were  come  of  as  high  a  kind 
As  she 's  adorn'd  with  beauty, 
I  wou'd  take  her  unto  myself. 
And  make  her  mine  own  Ladye." 

88     "  It 's  Fyvie's  lands  are  fair  and  wide, 
And  they  are  rich  and  bonnie ; 
I  wou'd  not  leave  my  own  true  love 
For  all  the  lands  of  Fyvie." 

39  Her  father  struck  her  wond'rous  sore. 

As  also  did  her  mother ; 
Her  sisters  always  did  her  scorn, — 
But  woe  be  to  her  brother  ! 

40  Her  brother  struck  her  wond'rous  sore, 

With  cruel  strokes  and  many ; 
He  brake  her  back  in  the  hall  door, 
For  liking  Andrew  Lammie. 

41  "  Alas  !  my  father  and  mother  dear, 

Why  so  cruel  to  your  Annie  ? 
My  heart  was  broken  first  by  love, — 
My  brother  has  broken  my  body. 

42  "  Oh,  mother  dear !  make  ye  my  bed. 

And  lay  my  face  to  Fyvie ; 
Thus  will  I  lie,  and  thus  will  die, 
For  my  love,  Andrew  Lammie  1 


ANDREW  LAMMIE.  631 


43     "  Ye  neighbours  hear,  both  far  and  near, 
Ye  pity  Tifty's  Annie ; 
Who  dies  for  love  of  one  poor  lad, 
For  bonnie  Andrew  Lammie. 

4.4     "No  kind  of  vice  e'er  stain'd  my  life, 
Nor  hurt  my  virgin  honour; 
My  youthful  heart  was  won  by  love, 
But  death  will  me  exoner." 

45  Her  mother  then  she  made  her  bed, 

And  laid  her  face  to  Fyvie; 
Her  tender  heart  it  soon  did  break. 
And  ne'er  saw  Andrew  Lammie. 

46  But  the  word  soon  went  up  and  down, 

Through  all  the  lands  of  Fyvie, 
That  she  was  dead  and  burifed, 
Even  Tifty's  bonnie  Annie. 

47  Lord  Fyvie  he  did  wring  his  hands; 

Said—"  Alas,  for  Tifty's  Annie  ! 
The  fairest  flow'r  's  cut  down  by  love, 
That  e'er  sprung  up  in  Fyvie. 

48  "  Oh,  woe  betide  Mill  o'  Tifty's  pride ! 

He  might  have  let  them  marry; 
I  shou'd  have  gi'en  them  both  to  live 
Into  the  lands  of  Fyvie." 

49  Her  father  sorely  now  laments 

The  loss  of  his  dear  Annie, 
And  wishes  he  had  gi'en  consent 
To  wed  with  Andrew  Lammie. 

50  Her  mother  grieves  both  air  and  late, 

Her  sisters,  'cause  they  scorn'd  her; 
Surely  her  brother  doth  mourn  and  grieve, 
For  the  cruel  usage  he'd  gi'en  her. 

51  But  now,  alas !  it  was  too  late. 

For  they  cou'd  not  recall  her ; 

Through  life  unhappy  is  their  fate. 

Because  they  did  control  her. 

52  When  Andrew  hame  from  Edinbro'  came, 

With  meikle  grief  and  sorrow : 
"  My  love  has  died  for  me  to-day, 
I'll  die  for  her  to-morrow. 


632  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


53  "  Now  I  will  on  to  Tifty's  den, 

Where  the  burn  runs  clear  and  bonnie; 
With  tears  I'll  view  the  Bridge  of  Sleugh,* 
Where  I  parted  last  with  Annie. 

54  "  Then  will  I  speed  to  the  churchyard, 

To  the  green  churchyard  of  Fyvie; 
With  tears  I'll  water  my  love's  grave, 
Till  I  follow  Tifty's  Annie." 

55  Ye  parents  grave,  who  children  have. 

In  crushing  them  he  cannie. 
Lest,  when  too  late,  you  do  repent — 
Eemember  Tifty's  Annie. 


GILDEEOY. 


"Gilleroy,  in  Gaelic,  signifies  the  red-haired  lad.  Patrick  Mac- 
Gregor,  or  Gilleroy,  the  subject  of  this  ballad,  sufiered  for  his  crimes 
in  1638,  and  his  fate  was  commemorated  in  song.  'The  above- 
mentioned  ballad,'  says  the  author  of  Caledonia,  'was  printed  during 
the  moment  of  Gilleroy's  exiit.  It  was  certainly  reprinted  at  London, 
in  the  Black  Letter,  before  1650.'  There  is  another  copy  of  it,  with 
some  variations,  in  Playford's  Wit  and  Mirth,  first  edition  of  vol. 
iiL,  which  was  printed  in  1702.  There  is  also  a  copy  of  it,  with 
variations,  in  A  Collection  [of  Old  Ballads],  second  edition,  London, 
1723,  vol.  ii.  (vol.  L),  p.  271.  These  copies,  though  possessing  several 
stanzas  of  poetic  merit,  contained  some  indelicacies  that  required 
suppression.  An  altered  and  deUcate  edition  appeared  in  Thomson's 
Orpheus  Caledonius.  But  before  this  appeared,  the  ballad  had  been 
altered  by  Sir  Alexander  Halket,  said  Ritson,  in  his  Scots  Songs, 
voL  ii,  p.  24 ;t  yet,  according  to  a  truer  account,  this  operation 
on  the  old  ballad  was  performed  by  Mrs.  Ehzabeth  Halket,  the 
daughter  of  Pitferan,  and  the  wife  of  Sir  Henry  Wardlaw  of 
Pittrevie,  the  real  authoress  of  '  Hardyknute. '  See  Blachwood's 
Magazine,  vol.  i.,  p.  380.  :|:  The  ballad  of  'Gilderoy,'  on  that  new 
cast,  may  be  seen  in  Percy's  Reliques,  vol.  i,  p.  321,  with  the 
exception  of  one  stanza;  also  in  Herd's  Scots  Songs,  vol.  i.,  p.  73; 
and  in  Eitson's  Scots  Songs,  vol.  ii.,  p.  24,  none  of  whom  give  the 
whole  thirteen  stanzas;  Caledonia,  vol.  iii.,  p.  36. 

"  I  have  seen  a  broadside,  printed  at  Edinburgh  before  1700,  which 
differs  from  the  copies  mentioned  above.  In  Lady  Wardlaw' s 
amended  copy,  a  good  many  of  the  old  stanzas  are  retained ; 
others  are  omitted,    or  in   part  retouched,    and  several  from   her 

•  It  is  a  received  superstition  in  Scotland,  that  when  friends  or  lovers  part  at  a 
bridge,  they  shall  never  again  meet. — W.  M. 

t  [On  the  alleged  authority  of  Johnson's  Museum.'] 

X  [The  reference  is  to  Stenhouse's  note  on  this  song,  which  is  there  given  as  a 
Bi)ecimen,  twenty-two  years  before  it  appeared  in  his  Illustrations,  &c.  No  evidence 
whatever  is  adduced  in  support  of  the  claim  made  on  behalf  of  Lady  Wardlaw  aa 
the  reviser  of  "Gilderoy."] 


GILDEROY.  633 


own  pen  are  added.  It  would  seem  that  when  Ritson  consulted 
the  Museum  on  this  occasion,  he  had  gone  no  farther  than  the  index ; 
for  if  he  had  turned  to  p.  67,  he  would  have  found  that  the  piece 
entitled  in  the  index  '  Gilderoy,'  was  the  song  written  to  the  tune 
beginning — 

'  Ah,  Chloris,  could  I  now  but  sit! ' 

and  not  any  copy  of  the  ballad  itself,  which  nowhere  in  any  of  the 
six  volumes  of  the  Museum  has  a  place."* — Motherwell's  Minstrelsy, 
Introd.,  p.  Ixiv.,  note  10. 

The  original  ballad  is  said  to  have  been  composed  by  a  young 
woman  of  no  mean  talent,  who  imfortunately  became  attached  to  this 
notorious  freebooter ;  but  all  that  can  be  confidently  affirmed  is,  that 
it  is  written  in  that  character.  This  notorious  cateran  appears  to 
have  been  quite  famous  in  the  southern  kingdom,  as,  in  addition  to 
the  versions  or  copies  already  referred  to,  there  was  yet  another  given 
in  a  work  entitled  "  Westminster  Drollery;  or,  a  Choice  Collection  of 
the  Newest  Songs  and  Poems,  both  at  Court  and  Theatres,  by  a  Person 
of  Quality.  With  additions.  London :  Printed  for  H.  Brome,  at  the 
Gun,  in  St.  Paul's  Churchyard,  near  the  West  End.  1671."  This 
elegant  efi"usion,  which  does  much  credit  to  the  taste  of  the  "  Person 
of  Quality,"  is  copied  by  Mr.  Maidment  in  his  Scotish  Ballads  and 
Songs,  Edin.,  1859,  p.  230.  "  Gilder  Eoy  "  is  also  made  the  hero  of 
certain  apocryphal  atrocities,  such  as  the  murder  of  his  mother  and 
sister;  the  burning  of  their  domicile,  &c.;  and  of  certain  marvellous 
adventures,  such  as  the  picking  of  Cardinal  Richelieu's  pocket  whilst 
he  was  celebrating  high  mass  in  the  king's  presence,  at  the  Church 
of  St.  Denis,  in  Paris ;  making  off  with  the  Duke  of  Medina-Celi's 
plate  at  Madrid ;  the  robbing  of  Oliver  Cromwell  near  Glasgow,  &c. 
These  sensational  adventures  are  duly  chronicled  in  A  Compleat 
History  of  the  Lives  and  Bobberies  of  the  most  notorious  Highway- 
men, Footpads,  Shop-Lifts,  and  Cheats  of  both  Sexes,  in  and  about 
London,  tVestminster,  and  all  parts  of  Great  Britain,  for  above  an 
Hundred  Years  past,  continued  to  the  present  time.  By  Captain 
Alexander  Smith.  London  :  1719,  12mo.  All  of  which  is  carefully 
reproduced  in  a  work  entitled.  Lives  and  Exploits  of  English  High- 
v;aymen.  Pirates,  and  Robbers,  by  Captain  Charles  Johnson.  London  : 
1734.     Folio,  26  plates. 

The  song  which  Bums  puts  in  the  mouth  of  the  "raucle  carlin," 
who  bewails  her  "  Gallant,  braw  John  Highlandman,"  in  "The  Jolly 
Beggars,"  may  have  been  inspired  by  this  ballad. 

1     Gilderoy  was  a  bonnie  boy, 

Had  roses  till  his  shoon; 
His  stockings  were  of  silken  soy, 

With  garters  hanging  doun. 
It  was,  I  ween,  a  comelie  sight 

To  see  sae  trim  a  boy; 
He  was  my  jo,  and  heart's  delight, 

My  handsome  Gilderoy. 

•  [It  is  not  very  clear  what  the  compiler  of  Johnson's  Museum  index  meant  by 
inserting  the  name  of  Sir  Alexander  Halket  in  this  connection.  Possibly  he  did 
not  know  very  well  himself.] 


634  BALLAD  MINSTEELSY  OF  SCOTLAKD. 


2    Oh !  sic  twa  charming  een  he  had, 

Breath  sweet  as  any  rose ; 
He  never  wore  a  Highland  plaid, 

But  costly  silken  clothes. 
He  gained  the  luve  of  ladies  gay, 

Nane  e'er  to  him  was  coy ; 
Ah !  wae  is  me,  I  mourn  the  day. 

For  my  dear  Gilderoy. 

8     My  Gilderoy  and  I  were  born 
Baith  in  one  town  together ; 
We  scant  were  seven  years  befom 

We  'gan  to  luve  each  other. 
Our  daddies  and  our  mammies  they 

Were  fill'd  with  meikle  joy. 
To  think  upon  the  bridal  day 
Of  me  and  Gilderoy. 

4  For  Gilderoy,  that  luve  of  mine, 

Gude  faith,  I  freely  bought 
A  wedding  sark  of  Holland  fine, 

With  dainty  ruffles  wrought ; 
And  he  gied  me  a  wedding  ring. 

Which  I  receiv'd  with  joy. 
Nae  lad  nor  lassie  e'er  could  sing 

Like  me  and  Gilderoy. 

5  With  meikle  joy  we  spent  our  prime, 

Till  we  were  baith  sixteen; 
And  aft  we  pass'd  the  langsome  time 

Amang  the  leaves  sae  green. 
Aft  on  the  banks  we'd  sit  us  there, 

And  sweetly  kiss  and  toy  ; 
While  he  with  garlands  deck'd  my  hair, 

My  handsome  Gilderoy. 

C     Oh,  that  he  still  had  been  content 

With  me  to  lead  his  life ! 
But,  ah  !  his  manful  heart  was  bent 

To  stir  in  deeds  of  strife ; 
And  he  in  many  a  vent'rous  deed, 

His  courage  bauld  wou'd  try ; 
And  now  this  gars  my  heart  to  bleed 

For  my  dear  Gilderoy. 

7     And  when  of  me  his  leave  he  took, 
The  tears  they  wet  mine  e'e  ; 
I  gave  him  sic  a  parting  look, — 
"  My  benison  gang  with  thee. 


GILDEROT.  635 


God  speed  thee  weel,  mine  ain  dear  heart, 

For  gane  is  all  my  joy ; 
My  heart  is  rent,  sith  we  maun  part, 

My  handsome  Gilderoy." 

8  The  Queen  of  Scots  possessed  nought 

That  my  love  let  me  want ; 
For  cow  and  sow  he  to  me  brought, 

And  e'en  when  they  were  scant. 
All  these  did  honestly  possess ; 

He  never  did  annoy 
Who  never  fail'd  to  pay  their  cess, 

To  my  love,  Gilderoy. 

9  My  Gilderoy,  baith  far  and  near, 

Was  fear'd  in  every  toun  ; 
And  bauldly  bore  away  the  gear 

Of  many  a  Lowland  loun. 
For  man  to  man  durst  meet  him  nane, 

He  was  sae  brave  a  boy  ; 
At  length  with  numbers  he  was  ta'en, 

My  winsome  Gilderoy. 

10  Wae  worth  the  louns  that  made  the  laws. 

To  hang  a  man  for  gear ; 
To  reave  of  life  for  ox,  or  ass, 

For  sheep,  or  horse,  or  mare. 
Had  not  their  laws  been  made  sae  strict, 

I  ne'er  had  lost  my  joy ; 
With  sorrow  ne'er  had  wet  my  cheek 

For  my  dear  Gilderoy. 

11  Gif  Gilderoy  had  done  amiss, 

He  might  ha'e  banish'd  been ; 
Ah !  what  sair  cruelty  is  this 

To  hang  sic  handsome  men! 
To  hang  the  flower  of  Scottish  land, 

Sae  sweet  and  fair  a  boy ! 
Nae  ladye  had  sae  white  a  hand 

As  thee,  my  Gilderoy. 

12  Of  Gilderoy  sae  fear'd  they  were, 

They  bound  him  fast  and  strong ; 
To  Edinbro'  they  led  him  there, 

And  on  a  gallows  hung. 
They  hung  him  high  aboon  the  rest. 

He  was  sae  trim  a  boy ; 
There  died  the  youth  whom  I  lu'ed  best, 

My  handsome  Gilderoy. 


636  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


13     Soon  as  he  yielded  up  his  breath, 

I  bore  his  corpse  away  ; 
With  tears  that  trickled  for  his  death, 

I  wash'd  his  comelie  clay. 
And  sicker  in  a  grave  right  deep 

I  laid  the  dear-luved  boy ; 
And  now  for  ever  I  maun  weep 

My  winsome  Gilderoy. 


THE  HEIR  OF  LINNE. 


Percy  Folio  MS.  version,  foL  71-3,  printed  copy,  vol.  i.,  p.  174. 
Here  emendated  and  modernized  in  the  orthography. 

Prodigal  sons  are  unfortunately  plants  of  eveiy  soil ;  and  bonnie 
Scotland's  canny  sons  have  furnished  too  many  specimens.  The 
subject  of  the  following  baUad  was  apparently  one  of  these.  Although 
it  is  evidently  a  Scotish  ballad,  the  version  here  printed  first  has 
been  preserved  to  us  through  the  transcription  of  an  EngUsh  clerk, 
a  circumstance  in  which  it  resembles  many  other  Scotish  pieces,  and 
it  is  one  for  which  Scotsmen  should  be  duly  thankful. 

Bishop  Percy,  in  place  of  printing  the  ballad  as  it  stood  in  his  MS., 
or  as  is  here  done,  with  a  few  seemingly  obvious  corrections,  noting 
the  genuine  readings  under,  according  to  his  use  and  wont,  preferred 
diluting  the  genuine  piece  by  extending  the  125  lines  of  his  Folio 
MS.  to  216,  as  given  in  the  Reliques. 

Many  of  the  "supplemental  stanzas,"  whicli  the  Bishop  deemed 
"necessary,"  were,  as  he  states,  "  suggested  by  a  modem  ballad  on  a 
similar  subject."  The  ballad  last  referred  to,  being  apparently  the 
one  entitled  "The  Drunkard's  Legacy,"  as  contained  in  a  volume 
edited  for  the  Percy  Society  by  Mr.  James  Henry  Dixon,  and  subse- 
quently given  in  Ballads  and  Songs  of  the  Peasantry,  one  of  the 
volumes  of  Bell's  Series  of  the  Poets.  The  last-named  volume  is,  how- 
ever, an  almost  verbatim  reprint  of  Mr.  Dixon's  work,  of  which,  as 
lately  aimoimced  in  Notes  and  Queries,  he  (Mr.  D. )  is  preparing  a 
new  edition. 

Mr.  Paterson,  editor  oi  Ballads  and  Songs  of  Ayrshire,  has  inserted 
in  that  work  Bishop  Percy's  ballad,  to  which  he  has  appended  the 
following  note : — 

"Linn,  in  Dairy  parish,  is  supposed  to  be  the  scene  of  this  fine 
ballad.  The  tower,  of  which  some  trace  still  remains,  overlooked  a 
beautiful  cascade  or  linn,  on  the  Water  of  Caaf,  near  the  village  of 
Dairy.  The  family  of  Linne  of  that  Ilk — now  extinct — was  of  old 
standing.  Walter  de  Lynne  is  mentioned  in  the  Ragman  Roll,  1296. 
No  regular  genealogical  account  of  the  family  can  be  made  out ;  but 
they  are  traced  in  various  documents,  as  the  projmetors  of  Linn, 
down  till  nearly  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  last  of 
the  lairds  of  Linne,  apparently,  was  '  Johne  Lin  of  yt  Ilk,'  mentioned 
in  the  statement  of  '  Janet  Jack,  spous  to  John  Crawfuird,  in  Rob- 
shieUieid,  Dairy,'  December,  1636.*     Scon  after  this  the  property 

•  Commissary  Records  o/Glatgow. 


THE  HEIR   OF  LINNE.  637 


seems  to  have  been  acquired  by  the  Kilmarnock  family,  [as]  Lord 
Kilmarnock  was  retoured  heir  to  a  portion  of  the  lands  in 
1641. 

"  Although  it  is  only  conjectural  that  Linn,  in  Dairy,  is  the  Linn 
of  the  ballad,  the  circumstance  of  the  family  being  of  that  Ilk,  accords 
with  what  Bishop  Percy  remarks,  that  '  the  heir  of  Linne  appears  not 
to  have  been  a  Lord  of  Parliament,  but  a  laird,  whose  title  went 
along  with  the  estate.'  Linne  was  the  chief  of  all  who  bore  the  name 
— the  title  of  that  Ilk  being  appHcable  only  to  such  as  are  acknowledged 
to  be  the  head  of  their  race.  The  next  possessor  would  have  been 
called  the  Laird  of  Linn,  but  not  Linn  of  that  Ilk." — Ballads  and 
Songs  of  Ayrshire,  first  series,  p.  33. 

The  name  of  Magnew,  or  Agnew,  the  latter  a  well-known  Galloway 
name,  which  occurs  in  stanza  21  of  the  traditionary  version,  seems, 
however,  to  point  to  that  district  as  the  locality  of  the  ballad,  and 
accordingly  it  is  known  that  "A  family  of  the  name  of  Lynn,  or 
Lin,  possessed"*  the  property  of  Larg,  in  Wigtonshire,  from  a.d. 
1634,  on  tUl  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  "  They 
were,  in  all  likelihood,  a  branch  of  the  Ljmes  of  that  Ilk,"  +  but  like 
the  parent  stem,  they  too  have  become  extinct,  at  least  as  proprietors. 
They  are  still  remembered  with  odium  as  persecutors  of  the  Cove- 
nanters ;  but  they  were  not  all  such,  as  we  are  informed  that  one 
"  Alexander  Lin  was  surprised  and  shot  at  Craigmodie,  in  1685,  by 
Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  for  being  a  Covenanter.  A  me- 
morial stone  was  placed  over  his  remains,  which  was  renewed 
in  1827."  t 

1  Of  all  the  lords  in  fair  Scotland, 

A  song  I  will  begin ; 
Amongst  them  all  there  dwelt  a  lord, 
Which  was  the  unthrifty  lord  of  Linne. 

2  His  father  and  mother  were  dead  him  free, 

And  so  was  the  head  of  all  his  kin ; 
He  did  neither  cease  nor  bl[ijnne, 

To  the  cards  and  dice  that  he  did  run. 

8     To  drink  the  wine  that  was  so  clear, 

With  every  man  he  would  make  merry, 
And  then  bespake  him  John  of  the  Scales, 
Unto  the  heir  of  Linne  said  he. 

4     Says — "  How  dost  thou,  lord  of  Linne, 
Doest  either  want  gold  or  fee? 
Wilt  thou  not  sell  thy  lands  so  broad. 
To  such  a  good  fellow  as  me  ?  " 

•  History  of  the  Lands  and  their  Owners  in  Galloway.   Edinburgh,  1870,  vol.  i,  p.  105- 
^JbiJ,  p.  166.  X  md,  p.  167. 


638  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


5  "  For  [gold]  I  [will  sell  my  land,"]  *  he  said, 

"  My  land,  take  it  unto  thee ;" 
"  I  draw  you  to  record,  my  lords  all," 
With  that  he  cast  him  a  gods-penny.f 

6  He  told  him  the  gold  upon  the  board, 

It  wanted  never  a  bare  penny ; 
"  That  gold  is  thine,  the  land  is  mine, 
The  heir  of  Linne  I  will  be." 

7  "  Here  's  gold  enough,"  saith  the  heir  of  Linne, 

"  Both  for  me  and  my  company." 
He  drank  the  wine  that  was  so  clear, 
And  with  every  man  he  made  merry. 

8  Within  three-quarters  of  a  year, 

His  gold  and  fee  it  waxed  thin, 
His  merry  men  were  from  him  gone, 
[And  left  alone  the  heir  of  Linne.]  J 

9  He  had  never  a  penny  left  in  his  purse, 

Never  a  penny  [left]  but  three. 
And  one  was  brass,  and  another  was  lead. 
And  another  was  white  money, 

10  "  Now  well-a-day !"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 

"  Now  well-a-day,  and  woe  is  me ! 
"     For  when  I  was  the  heir  of  Linne, 
I  neither  wanted  gold  nor  fee. 

11  "  [But]  §  I  have  sold  my  land  so  broad, 

And  have  not  left  me  one  penny ! 
I  must  go  now  and  take  some  read  || 
Unto  Edinburgh  and  beg  my  bread." 

12  He  had  not  been  in  Edinburgh, 

Of  a  year  not  quarters  three,^! 
But  some  did  give  him,  and  some  said  "  Nay," 
And  some  bid  "  To  the  deil  gang  ye ! 

13  "  For  if  we  wou'd  hang  any  land-seller, 

The  first  we  wou'd  begin  with  thee ; " 
"  Now  well-a-day,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
"  Now  well-a-day  and  woe  is  me  ! 

*  Line  1,  stanza  5,  is  imperfect  in  the  MS. 

t  "Gods-penny:"  earnest-money:  Northern. — HalliwelL 

t  "  &  left  him  himselfe  all  alone."— J/5. 

§  "  For."— MS. 

II  "Read,"  (rede?)  counsel,  decision;  or,  road. 

IT "  Not  three-quarters  of  a  yeax."—MS. 


THE  HEIR  OF  LINNE.  639 


14  "  For  now  I  have  sold  my  lands  so  broad, 

That  merry  man  is  irk  with  me ; 
But  when  that  I  was  the  lord  of  Linne, 
Then  on  my  land  I  lived  merrily. 

15  "  And  now  I  have  sold  my  lands  so  broad, 

That  I  have  not  left  me  one  penny ! 
God  be  with  my  father !  "  he  said, 
"  On  his  land  he  lived  merrily." 

16  Still  in  a  study  there  as  he  stood, 

He  umbethought  him  of  [a]  bill, 
[He  umbethought  him  of  a  bill  * 
Which  his  father  had  left  him  till.] 

17  Bade  him  he  should  never  on  it  look. 

Till  he  was  in  extreme  need, 
"  And  by  my  faith,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
["That  time  hath  come  indeed."]  f 

18  He  took  the  bill,  and  look'd  it  on, 

Good  comfort  that  he  found  there ; 
It  told  him  of  a  castle  wall 
Where  there  stood  three  chests  in  fere. 

19  Two  were  full  of  the  beaten  gold. 

The  third  was  full  of  white  money ; 
He  turned  then  down  his  bags  of  bread, 
[And  full  of  red  gold  them  filled  he.]  J 

20  Then  he  did  never  cease  nor  blinne 

Till  John  of  the  Scales'  house  he  did  win. 
When  that  he  came  to  John  [of  the]  Scales, 
Up  at  the  speere  §  he  look'd  then. 

21  There  sat  three  Lords' upon  a  rowe, 

[Drinking  merrily  at  the  wine,] 
And  John  of  the  Scales  sat  at  the  board-head. 
Because  he  was  the  Lord  of  Linne. 

22  And  then  bespake  the  heir  of  Linne, 

To  John  of  the  Scales'  wife  thus  said  he; 
Said — "  Dame,  wilt  thou  not  trust  me  one  shot. 
That  I  may  sit  down  in  this  company?  " 

"  JUS.  reads  bis,  "Umbethought:  "  reflected  or  remembered, — "  a  bill 

Which  hj8  father  had  left  with  him."— MS. 
t  "  Till  then  I  had  never  more  need." 
t  "  And  filled  them  full  of  gold  so  red."— MS. 

J  "Speere: "  a  wicket  or  "hole  in  the  wall  of  a  honse,  through  which  the  family 
received  and  answered  the  inquiries  of  strangers."— Eitson.  " To  speer,"  in  Scotish 
means,  "to  ask." 


640  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


23  "  Now  Christ's  curse  on  my  head,"  she  said, 

"If  I  do  trust  thee  one  penny." 
Then  [out]  be-spake  a  good  fellow, 

Which  sat  by  John  o'  the  Scales  his  knee. 

24  Said — "  Have  thou  here,  thou  heir  of  Linne, 

Forty  pence  I  will  lend  thee. 
Some  time  a  good  fellow  thou  hast  been, — 
And  other  forty  if  need  be." 

25  They  drunken  wine  that  was  so  clear, 

And  every  man  they  made  merry; 
And  then  be-spoke  him  John  o'  the  Scales, 
Unto  the  Lord  of  Linne  said  he. 

26  Said — "  How  doest  thou,  heir  of  Linne, 

Since  I  did  buy  thy  lands  of  thee  ? 
I  will  sell  it  to  thee,  twenty  pounds  better  cheap 
Nor  ever  I  did  buy  it  of  thee." 

27  "  I  draw  you  to  record,  [good]  lords  all," 

With  that  he  cast  him  gods-penny; 
Then  he  took  to  his  bags  of  bread, 

[And  the  gold  so  red  down  counted  he.]* 

28  He  told  him  the  gold  then  over  the  board, 

It  wanted  never  a  broad  penny : 
"  That  gold  is  thine,  the  land  is  mine, 
And  the  heir  of  Linne  again  I  will  be." 

29  "Now  well-a-day!"  said  John  o'  Scales'  wife, 

"Well-a-day,  and  wae  is  me! 
Yesterday  I  was  the  Lady  of  Linne, 

And  now  but  John  o'  Scales'  wife  [I  be."] 

30  "  [Now]  have  thou  here,  thou  good  fellow, 

Forty  pence  thou  did  lend  me; 
[Now  have  thou  here,  thou  good  fellow,] 
And  forty  pounds  I  will  give  thee." 

31  ["  Since  forty  pence  thou  did  lend  me, 

When  begging  to  the  speere  I  came,] 
I'll  make  thee  keeper  of  my  forest. 
Both  of  the  wild  deer  and  the  tame." 

32  [Then  solemnly  sware]  the  heir  of  Linne, 

These  were  the  words,  and  thus  said  he, — 
"  Christ's  curse  light  upon  my  crown 
If  e'er  my  land  stand  in  jeopardye !  " 

*  "  And  they  were  full  of  the  gold  so  red."— i/iX 


THE   HEIR   OF  UNNE.  641 


THE  HEIR  OF  LINNE. 

.TRADITIONAKT  VERSION. 

From  Scottish  Traditional  Versions  of  Ancient  Ballads,  Percy- 
Society,  vol.  xvii. 

The  three  first  stanzas  of  the  following  version  were  first  printed 
by  Mr.  Motherwell  in  his  Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixviii.,  note 
15,  and  were  probably  commtinicated  to  him  by  Mr.  Buchan,  from 
whose  MS.  volumes,  as  formerly  mentioned,  the  ballads  contained  in 
the  work  above  referred  to  were  selected. 

1  "  The  bonnie  heir,  the  weel-faur'd  heir, 

And  the  wearie  heir  o'  Linne, 
Yonder  he  stands  at  his  father's  yetts, 
And  nobody  bids  him  come  in. 

2  "  Oh,  see  for  he  gangs,  and  see  for  he  stands, 

The  wearie  heir  o'  Linne; 
Oh,  see  where  he  stands  on  the  cauld  causey,* 
And  nae  ane  bids  him  come  in. 

3  "  But  if  he  had  been  his  father's  heir, 

Or  yet  the  heir  o'  Linne, 
He  wou'dna  stand  on  the  cauld  causey, 
Some  one  wou'd  ta'en  him  in." 

4  "  Sing  o'er  again  that  song,  nourice, 

The  soug  ye  sang  just  noo." 

"  I  never  sang  a  song  in  my  life, 

But  I  wou'd  sing  o'er  to  you. 

5  "  Oh,  see  for  he  gangs,  and  see  for  he  stands, 

The  wearie  heir  o'  Linne, 
Oh,  see  where  he  stands  on  the  cauld  causey, 
And  nae  ane  bids  him  come  in. 

6  "  But  if  he  had  been  his  father's  heir. 

Or  yet  the  heir  o'  Linne, 
He  wou'dna  stand  on  the  cauld  cauaey; 
Some  ane  wou'd  ta'en  him  in. 

7  "  When  his  father's  lands  a-sellin'  were. 

His  claise  f  lay  weel  in  fauld ; 
But  now  he  wanders  on  the  shore, 
Baith  hungry,  weet,  and  cauld." 

*  "Causey:"  causeway.  t  "Claise:"  clothes. 

2t 


642  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY   OF  SCOTLAND. 


8  [As  Willie  he  gaed  down  the  town, 

Upon  his  sad  hap  thinkin' ;] 
As  Willie  he  gaed  down  the  town, 
The  gentlemen  were  drinkin'. 

9  Some  bade  gi'e  Willie  a  glass,  a  glass, 

And  some  bade  gi'e  him  nane; 
Some  bade  gi'e  Willie  a  glass,  a  glass, 
The  wearie  heir  o'  Linne. 

10  As  Willie  he  came  up  the  town. 

The  fishers  were  all  sittin'; 
[The  fishers  were  all  sittin'  there, 
Busy  mending  their  netting.] 

11  Some  bade  gi'e  Willie  a  fish,  a  fish, 

Some  bade  gi'e  him  a  pin; 
Some  bade  gi'e  him  a  fish,  a  fish, 
The  wearie  heir  o'  Linne. 

12  He  turn'd  him  richt  and  round  about. 

As  will*  as  a  woman's  son; 
And  ta'en  his  cane  into  his  hand. 
And  on  his  way  to  Linne. 

13  His  nourice  at  her  window  look'd, 

Beholding  dale  and  down; 
And  she  beheld  this  distress'd  young  man, 
Come  walking  to  the  town. 

14  "  Come  here,  come  here,  Willie,"  she  said, 

"  And  set  yoursel'  with  me, 
I  ha'e  seen  you  in  better  days. 
And  in  jovial  companie." 

15  "  Gi'e  me  a  sheave  f  of  your  bread,  nourice, 

And  a  bottle  of  your  wine ; 
And  I'll  pay  you  it  all  o'er  again 
When  I  am  the  Laird  o'  Linne." 

16  "  Ye'se  J  get  a  sheave  of  my  bread,  Willie, 

And  a  little  of  my  wine; 
And  ye'll  pay  me  when  the  seas  gang  dry ; 
But  ye'll  ne'er  be  heir  o'  Linne." 

17  Then  he  turn'd  him  richt  and  roimd  about, 

As  will  as  woman's  son; 
And  off  he  set,  and  bent  his  way. 
And  straightway  came  to  Linne. 

*  "  Will: '  probably  means  bewildered.    See  Jamieson's  Dictionary. 
t  "  Shea-ve: "  slice.  t  "  Ye'se : "  ye  shall. 


THE  HEIR   OF  LINNE.  643 


18  And  when  he  came  to  that  castle. 

They  were  sat  down  to  dine; 
A  score  of  nobles  there  he  saw, 
Sat  drinkin'  at  the  wine. 

19  Then  some  bade  gi'e  him  the  beef,  the  beef, 

And  some  bade  gi'e  him  the  bane ; 
And  some  bade  gi'e  him  naething  at  all, 
But  let  the  palmer  gang. 

20  Then  out  it  speaks  the  new-come  laird — 

A  saucy  word  spake  he, — 
"  Put  round  the  cup,  gi'e  my  rival  a  sup, 
Let  him  fare  on  his  way." 

21  Then  out  it  speaks  Sir  Ned  Agnew,* 

Ane  of  young  Willie's  kin  : 
"This  youth  was  ance  a  sprightly  boy, 
As  ever  lived  in  Linne." 

22  He  turn'd  him  richt  and  round  about, 

As  will  as  woman's  son  ; 
Then  minded  him  on  a  little  wee  key, 
That  his  mither  left  to  him. 

23  His  mither  left  him  this  little  wee  key 

A  little  before  she  dee'd;  f 
And  bade  him  keep  this  little  wee  key, 
Till  he  was  in  maist  need. 

24  Then  forth  he  went,  and  these  nobles  left, 

A-drinkin'  in  the  room ; 
With  walkin'  rod  intill  his  hand 
He  walked  the  castle  roun'. 

25  Till  he  found  out  a  little  door. 

Where  the  wee  key  fitted  in ; 
And  there  he  got  as  muckle  red  gowd 
As  free'd  the  lands  of  Linne. 

26  Back  through  the  nobles  then  he  went, 

A  saucy  man  was  then. 
"  I'll  take  the  cup  frae  this  new-come  laird. 
For  he  ne'er  bade  me  sit  down." 

27  Then  out  it  spake  the  new-come  laird : 

He  spake  with  mock  and  jeer : 
"  I'd  gi'e  a  seat  to  the  Laird  of  Linne, 
Sae  be  that  he  were  here."  • 

•  Agnew  is  here  snbstitated  in  place  of  "Magnew." 
t  "  Dee'd : "  died. 


044  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


28  "  When  the  lands  o'  Linne  a-sellin'  were, 

All  men  said  they  were  free  ; 
This  lad  shall  ha'e  them  frae  me  this  day, 
If  he'll  gi'e  the  third  pennie." 

29  "  I  take  ye  witness,  nobles  all, 

Gude  witnesses  ye'll  be; 
I'm  promised  the  lands  o'  Linne  this  day, 
If  I  gi'e  the  third  pennie." 

30  "  Ye've  ta'en  us  witnesses,  Willie,"  they  said, 

"  Gude  witnesses  we'll  be. 
[But]  buy  the  lands  o'  Linne  wha  likes, 
They'll  ne'er  be  bought  by  thee." 

81  He's  done  him  to  a  gamin'  table, 

Where  it  stood  fair  and  clean ; 
Then  he  tauld  down  as  much  rich  gowd 
As  freed  the  lands  o'  Linne. 

82  Thus  having  done,  he  turned  about — 

A  saucy  man  was  he — 
"  Take  up  your  money,  my  lad,"  he  says, 
"  Take  up  your  third  pennie. 

S3     "  Aft  ha'e  I  gane  with  barefeet  cauld 
Likewise  with  legs  full  bare ; 
And  mony  day  walked  at  these  yetts 
With  muckle  dule  and  care. 

34  "  But  now  my  sorrow 's  past  and  gane. 

And  joy  's  returned  to  me ; 
And  here  I've  gowd  enough  forbye, 
Ahin*  this  third  pennie." 

35  As  Willie  he  gaed  down  the  town, 

There  he  craw'd  wond'rous  crouse. 
He  call'd  the  May  afore  them  all, 
The  nourice  of  the  house. 

36  "  Come  here,  come  here,  my  nourice,"  he  says, 

"  I'll  pay  your  bread  and  wine. 
Seas  ebb  and  flow  as  they  wont  to  do, 
Yet  I'm  the  Laird  o'  Linne." 

37  As  he  gaed  up  the  Gallowgate  port, 

His  hose  aboon  his  sheen ;  f 
But  lang  ere  he  came  down  again. 
Was  convoy'd  by  lords  fifteen. 

*  "  Ahin : "  behind ;  over  and  above. 

t  "  Sheen :"  shoon,  or  shoes.    Aberdeenshu-e  dialect 


C45 


APPENDIX. 


WILLIAM  AND  MARGAEET. 

BY  DAVID   MALLET.* 

The  following  account  of  this  beautiful  ballad  is  given  by  the 
author  in  his  works  (3  vols.,  1759). 

"In  a  comedy  of  Fletcher,  called  *  The  Knight  of  the 
Burning  Pestle,'  old  Merey -Thought  enters,  repeating  the  foUowing 
verses : — 

'  When  it  was  grown  to  dark  midnight, 

And  all  were  fast  asleep, 
In  came  Margaret's  grimly  ghost, 
And  stood  at  William's  feet.' 

This  was  probably  the  beginning  of  some  ballad,  commonly  known 
at  the  time  when  that  author  wrote  (1611);  and  it  is  all  of  it,  I 
believe,  that  is  anywhere  to  be  met  with.  These  lines,  naked  of 
ornament  and  simple  as  they  are,  struck  my  fancy:  and,  bringing 
fresh  into  my  mind  an  unhappy  adventure,  much  talked  of  formerly, 
gave  birth  to  the  foregoing  poem;  which  was  written  many  years 
ago." 

"  The  entire  ballad  of  which  the  above  stanza  had  so  fortunate  an 
effect,  may  be  found  in  Dr.  Percy's  Eeliques,  vol.  iiL ,  and  the  Select 
Collection  of  English  Songs,  vol.  ii.  The  '  unhappy  adventure '  here 
alluded  to,  was  the  real  history  of  a  young  lady,  whose  hand  having 
been  scornfully  rejected  by  her  insolent  seducer,  '  the  news  was 
brought  her  when  in  a  weak  condition,  and  cast  her  into  a  fever ;  and 
in  a  few  days  after,  I,'  says  Mr.  Mallet,  '  saw  her  and  her  child  laid 
in  one  grave  together.'  See  the  '  Plain  Dealer '  (a  periodical  paper 
published  by  Mr.  Aaron  Hill  and  Mr.  Bond,  in  1724,  and  afterward 
reprinted  in  two  vols.  8vo),  Nos.  30  and  46." — Eitson's  Scottish  Songs, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  204. 

In  his  Historical  Essay  prefixed  to  the  same  work,  p.  xxviii.,  Eitson 
observes, — "It  may  be  questioned  whether  any  English  writer  has 
produced  so  fine  a  ballad  as  *  Wdliam  and  Margaret.' " 

Bishop  Percy  also  refers  to  it  as  "One  of  the  most  beautiful 
ballads  in  our  own  or  any  other  language." 

On  the  other  hand,  Sir  Walter  Scott  states  that  "The  ballad, 
though  the  best  of  Mallet's  writing,  is  certainly  inferior  to  its  original, 

•  His  real  name  was  Malloch ;  but,  on  removing  from  Scotland  to  London,  he 
changed  it  to  Mallei  either  because  Malloch  was  unpronounceable  by  Cockney  lips, 
or  like  so  many  other  cocknifled  Scots — even  of  the  present  day — he  might  thus 
desire — as  Dr.  Johnson  insinuated  he  did — the  better  to  conceal  his  origin.  Scotland 
may  possibly  gain,  and  certainly  cannot  lose  much,  by  the  defection  of  such  small- 
minded  individuals  as  those  indicated. 


646  BALLAD   MINSTRELST  OF  SCOTLAND. 


which  I  presume  to  be  the  very  fine  and  even  terrific  old  Scottish. 
tale,  beginning, 

'  There  came  a  ghost  to  Margaret's  door.' " — {Ante,  p.  51.) 

The  editor  of  Andrew  Marvell's  works,  London,  1776  (preface, 
vol.  i.,  p.  XX.),  claims  the  authorship  for  Marvell;  but  this  "bold 
assertion"  has  been  refuted  by  Mr.  David  Laing.  See  Illustrations 
of  the  Lyric  Poetry  and  Music  of  Scotland,  p.  519. 

1  'TwAS  at  the  silent,  solemn  hour, 

When  night  and  morning  meet, 
In  glided  Margaret's  grimly  ghost, 
And  stood  at  William's  feet. 

2  Her  face  was  like  an  April  morn, 

Clad  in  a  wintry  cloud; 
And  clay-cold  was  her  lily  hand, 
That  held  her  sable  shroud. 

3  So  shall  the  fairest  face  appear, 

When  youth  and  years  are  flown : 

Such  is  the  robe  that  kings  must  wear, 

When  death  has  reft  their  crown. 

4  Her  bloom  was  like  the  springing  flower, 

That  sips  the  silver  dew; 
The  rose  was  budded  in  her  cheek, 
Just  opening  to  the  view. 

5  But  Love  had,  like  the  canker-worm, 

Consum'd  her  early  prime : 
The  rose  grew  pale,  and  left  her  cheek ; 
She  died  before  her  time. 

6  "  Awake  ! "  she  cried,  "  thy  true  love  calls, 

Come  from  her  midnight  grave  ; 
Now  let  thy  pity  hear  the  maid 
Thy  love  refus'd  to  save. 

7  "  This  is  the  dumb  and  dreary  hour, 

When  injur'd  ghosts  complain; 
When  yawning  graves  give  up  their  dead, 
To  haunt  the  faithless  swain. 

8  "  Bethink  thee,  William,  of  thy  fault, 

Thy  pledge  and  broken  oath ; 
And  give  me  back  my  maiden-vow, 
And  give  me  back  my  troth. 


WILLIAM  ANB  MARGARET.  647 


9     "  Why  did  you  promise  love  to  me, 
And  not  that  promise  keep? 
Why  did  you  swear  my  eyes  were  bright, 
Yet  leave  those  eyes  to  weep? 

10  "  How  could  you  say  my  face  was  fair. 

And  yet  that  face  forsake? 
How  could  you  win  my  virgin  heart, 
Yet  leave  that  heart  to  break? 

11  "  Why  did  you  say  my  lip  was  sweet  [red  ?], 

And  made  the  scarlet  pale? 
[And]  why  did  I,  young  witless  maid ! 
Believe  the  flattering  tale? 

12  "  That  face,  alas  !  no  more  is  fair; 

Those  lips  no  longer  red: 
Dark  are  my  eyes,  now  clos'd  in  death, 
And  every  charm  is  fled. 

13  "  The  hungry  worm  my  sister  is; 

This  winding-sheet  I  wear  : 
And  cold  and  weary  lasts  our  night. 
Till  that  last  morn  appear. 

14  "  But  hark!  the  cock  has  warn'd  me  hence; 

A  long  and  late  adieu ; 
Come,  see,  false  man,  how  low  she  lies, 
Who  died  for  love  of  you." 

15  The  lark  sang  loud;  the  morning  smil'd. 

With  beams  of  rosy  red : 
Pale  William  quak'd  in  every  limb, 
And  raving  left  his  bed. 

16  He  hied  him  to  the  fatal  place 

Where  Margaret's  body  lay ; 
And  stretch'd  him  on  the  grass-green  turf, 
That  wrapp'd  her  breathless  clay. 

17  And  thrice  he  call'd  on  Margaret's  name. 

And  thrice  he  wept  full  sore : 
Then  laid  his  cheek  to  her  cold  grave, 
And  word  spoke  never  more. 


G48  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


LANG  JOHNNIE  MOIR. 

From  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i. ,  p.  248. 

"  Geoffrey,  of  Monmouth,  in  his  veracious  History,  informs  us  that 
when  Brute  or  Brutus  landed,  some  three  thousand  years  ago,  on  the 
shores  of  Britain,  then  known  as  Albion,  he  found  the  Island  '  in- 
habited by  none  but  a  few  Giants.  .  .  .  Among  the  Rest  was  one 
detestable  Monster,  named  Goemagot,  in  Stature  twelve  Cubits,  and 
of  such  prodigious  Strength,  that  at  one  Stroke  he  puUed  up  an  Oak  as  * 
if  it  had  been  a  Hazel  Wand.'  This  Giant  was  taken  Prisoner  and 
reserved  for  a  Single  Combat  with  Corineus,  the  companion  iu  arms 
of  Brutus,  '  who  took  a  great  Pleasure  in  such  Rencounters.  .  .  . 
At  the  beginning  of  the  Rencounter,  Corineus^  had  '  three  of  his  Ribs ' 
broken,  which  enraged  him  so,  that  he  snatched  up  the  Giant 
on  '  his  Shoulders,'  and  '  ran  with  him  as  fast  as  he  was  able  for  the 
Weight,  to  the  next  Shore,  and  there  getting  upon  the  Top  of  a  high 
Rock,  hurled  down  the  Savage  Monster  into  the  sea  ;  where,  falling 
by  the  sides  of  craggy  Rocks,  he  was  cruelly  tore  to  Pieces,  and 
coloured  the  Waves  with  his  Blood.  The  place  where  he  fell,  taking 
its  Name  from  the  Giant's  Fall,  is  called  Lam-Goemagot — that  is,  Goii- 
magot's  Leap — to  this  day." — Aaron  Thompson's  translation,  London, 
1718. 

Shortly  after  this  event,  Brutus  built  the  city  of  Troy-No vant," 
now  known  as  London,  whose  citizens  stUl  retain  and  exhibit  so  much 
civic  pride  in  the  Guildhall  Giants,  Gog  and  Magog,  which  statues  are 
supposed  to  represent  the  living  prototypes  who  were  vanquished  by 
the  valiant  descendants  of  the  Trojans. 

Whether  the  hero  of  the  following  ballad,  and  his  relatives,  belonged 
to  the  same  gigantic  race,  cannot  be  definitely  ascertained  at  this 
advanced  period  of  the  world's  history. 

It  is,  however,  quite  as  probable  as  any  portion  of  the  narrative 
quoted;  and  it  may  also  be  noted  as  asomewhatremarkablecoincidence, 
that  the  statues  of  Gog  and  Magog  in  Guildhall  are  exactly  the 
height  assigned  to  "Lang  Johnnie  Moir,"  in  stanza  3  of  the  ballad, 
namely,  "fourteen feet." 

If  the  origin  of  the  ballad  is  dated  back  to  the  early  period  referred 
to,  it  may  take  precedence  for  antiquity  over  every  other  ballad  in 
the  Island.  The  names  "London,"  "English,"  "Scot,"  &c.,  would 
in  that  case  have  to  be  regarded  as  comparatively  modern  corruptions, 
introduced  by  reciters  of  a  later  age, — a  mode  of  adaptation  which 
we  know  to  have  been  practised  in  different  lands  and  ages,  and  of 
which  examples  of  the  highest  authority  might  be  adduced. 

See,  in  this  collection,  the  baUads  of  "King  Henrie,"  ante,  p.  217, 
"Kempy  Kaye,"  p.  220,  and  especially  "Johnnie  Scot,"  p.  432,  as  this 

•  This  interesting  event  happened,  as  we  are  minutely  informed,  at  the  "  Time  Eli 
the  priest  governed  in  Judea,  &o.  So  that  Goemagot,  and  the  other  Aualcim  of 
Soum  Britain,  appear  to  have  been  extirpated  one  or  two  generations  before  David 
slew  the  degenerate  Goliath  of  Gath,  "whose  height"  was  only  "sis  cubits  and  a 
span." 


LANG  JOHNNIE  MOIR.  649 


latter  aj)peara  to  have  borrowed  largely  from  the  assumedly  very 
ancient  ballad  which  follows.  * 

1  There  lives  a  man  in  Rynie's  land, 

Anitherin  Auchindore ; 
The  bravest  lad  amang  them  all. 
Was  lang  Johnnie  Moir. 

2  Young  Johnnie  was  an  airy  blade, 

Full  sturdy,  stout,  and  Strang; 
The  sword  that  hung  by  Johnnie's  side, 
Was  just  full  ten  feet  lang. 

3  Young  Johnnie  was  a  clever  youth, 

Full  sturdy,  stout,  and  wight, — 
Just  full  three  yards  around  the  waist, 
And  fourteen  feet  in  height. 

4  Young  Johnnie  has  to  London  gone, 

In  the  spring-time  of  the  year; 
Young  Johnnie  has  to  London  gone. 
The  king's  banner  to  bear. 

5  He  hadna  been  in  fair  London, 

It 's  months  but  twa  or  three, 
Till  the  king's  ain  daughter  young  Johnnie 
Did  love  right  tenderlie. 

6  Then  word  has  to  the  kitchen  gane. 

And  word  is  to  the  hall; 
And  word  is  to  the  king  himsel', 
Among  his  nobles  all. 

7  Out  then  spake  the  king  himsel' ; 

An  angry  man  was  he, — 
"  I  will  put  her  in  prison  strong, 
And  high  hang'd  he  shall  be." 

8  Oh,  the  king  he  was  an  angry  man, 

And  a  solemn  oath  swore  he, — 
"  This  weighty  Scot  shall  strait  a  rope. 
For  high  hang'd  he  shall  be." 

9  When  Johnnie  heard  the  sentence  pass'd, 

A  light  laugh  then  ga'e  he, — 

"  While  I  ha'e  strength  to  wield  my  blade, 

There 's  nane  Avill  daur  hang  me." 

t 
*  The  compliment  is  here  returned,  as  severe  emendations  are  introduced  into  the 
present  text,  from  one  or  other  of  the  versions  of  "Johnnie  Scot" 


660  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF   SCOTLAND. 


10  The  English  dogs  were  cunning  rogues, 

About  him  they  did  creep  ; 
And  they  ga'e  him  drops  of  lodomy, 
That  laid  him  fast  asleep. 

11  When  Johnnie  waken'd  frae  his  sleep, 

A  sorry  heart  had  he, 
With  his  twa  hands  in  iron  bands, 
His  feet  in  fetters  three. 

12  "  Oh,  where  will  I  get  a  bonnie  boy. 

Will  work  for  meat  and  fee ; 
Wha  will  rin  on  to  my  auld  uncle, 
At  the  foot  of  Benachie  ?  " 

13  "  Here  am  I,  a  little  wee  boy, 

Will  work  for  meat  and  fee  ; 
Wha  will  rin  on  to  your  auld  uncle, 
At  the  foot  of  Benachie." 

14  "When  ye  come  where  the  grass  grows  green, 

Ye'll  slack  your  shoes  and  rin  ; 
And  when  ye  come  where  water 's  strong, 
Ye'll  bend  your  bow  and  swim. 

15  "  And  when  ye  come  to  Benachie, 

Ye'll  neither  chap  nor  call ; 
But  ye'll  gae  to  auld  Johnnie  there. 
Three  feet  abeen  them  all. 

10     "  Ye'll  gi'e  to  him  this  braid  letter, 
Seal'd  with  my  faith  and  troth;  (!) 
And  bid  him  bring  alang  with  him 
My  kinsman,  Jock  o'  Noth." 

17  When  the  wee  boy  came  to  Benachie, 

He  did  neither  chap  nor  call; 
But  went  straight  to  auld  Johnnie  there. 
Three  feet  abeen  them  all. 

18  "  What  news,  what  news,  my  bonnie  boy? 

Ye  ne'er  were  here  before ;  " 
"  Nae  news,  nae  news,  but  a  letter  from 
Your  nephew,  Johnnie  Moir. 

19  "  He  sends  ye  here  this  braid  letter, 

Seal'd  with  his  faith  and  troth ; 
And  he  bids  ye  bring  alang  with  ye 
His  kinsman,  Jock  o'  Noth." 


LANG  JOHNNIE   MOIB.  651 


20  Benachie  lyes  very  low, 

The  tap  o'  Noth  lyes  high ; 
For  a'  the  distance  that 's  between, 
Jock  heard  auld  Johnnie  cry. 

21  Then  on  the  plain  these  champions  met, 

Twa  grisly  sights  to  see; 
There  were  three  feet  between  their  brows, 
Their  shoulders  were  yards  three. 

22  They  hied  o'er  hills,  they  hied  o'er  dales, 

O'er  mountains  steep  hied  they, 
Till  they  came  on  to  London  town, 
By  dawn  of  the  third  day. 

23  And  when  they  came  to  London  town. 

The  yetts  were  lock'd  with  bands. 
And  guarded  well  by  armed  men, 
With  drawn  swords  in  their  hands. 

24  "  What  is  the  matter,  ye  -Warders  all  ? 

Oh,  what's  the  matter  within. 
That  drums  do  beat,  and  bells  do  ring, 
And  make  sic  doleful  din  ?  " 

25  "  There  's  naething  the  matter,"  a  Warder  said, 

"  Naething  that  matters  to  thee, 
But  a  weighty  Scot  to  strait  the  rope. 
And  the  morn  he  maun  dee." 

26  "  Oh,  open  the  yetts,  ye  proud  Warders, 

And  open  without  delay." 
The  tremiiling  Warder,  faltering,  said, 
"  Oh,  I  ha'e  not  the  key." 

27  "  Come,  open  the  yetts,  ye  proud  Warders, 

Come,  open  without  delay ; 
Or  here  is  a  body  at  my  back 
Wha  suae  will  clear  the  way." 

28  "  Ye'll  open  the  yetts,"  says  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  Ye'll  open  them  at  my  call ;  " 

Then  with  his  foot  he  has  drave  in 

Three  yards  braid  of  the  wall. 

29  As  they  gaed  in  by  Drury  Lane, 

And  down  by  the  town's  hall, 
It's  there  they  saw  young  Johnnie  Moir, 
Stand  on  the  English  wall. 


652  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


30  "  Ye're  welcome  here,  my  uncle  dear, 

Ye're  welcome  unto  me; 
Ye'U  loose  the  knot  and  slack  the  rope,    . 
And  free  me  frae  the  tree." 

31  "  Is  it  for  murder,  or  for  theft  ? 

Or  is  it  for  felonie  ? 
If  it  is  for  any  heinous  crime. 
There's  nae  remeid  for  thee." 

32  "  It 's  nae  for  murder,  nor  for  theft, 

Nor  yet  for  felonie ; 
But  it 's  for  loving  a  gay  ladye 
They  ha'e  doom'd  me  to  dee." 

33  "  Oh,  where 's  thy  sword,"  says  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  Ye  took  frae  hame  with  thee ; 
I  never  saw  a  Scotsman  yet 
But  cou'd  wield  sword  or  tree." 

34  "  A  pox  upon  their  lodomy, 

On  me  had  sic  a  sway ; 
Four  of  their  men,  the  bravest  four,* 
They  bore  my  blade  away." 

35  "  Bring  back  his  blade,"  says  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  And  unto  him  it  gi'e  ; 
Or  I  ha'e  sworn  a  black  Scots  oath, 
I'll  gar  five  million  dee. 

36  "  And  where  's  the  ladye,"  says  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  For  fain  I  wou'd  her  see?  " 
"  She  's  lock'd  up  in  her  ain  chamber; 
The  king  he  keeps  the  key." 

37  Then  they  ha'e  gane  before  the  king, 

With  courage  bauld  and  free; 
Their  armour  bright  cast  sic  a  light, 
That  almost  dimm'd  his  e'e. 

38  "  Oh,  where  's  the  ladye,"  says  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  For  fain  I  wou'd  her  see? 

As  we  are  come  to  her  wedding, 

Frae  the  foot  of  Benachie." 

♦This  line  occurs  all  but  verbatim  in  "The  Buchanshire  Tragedy,"  stanza  45. 
line  1,  ante,  p.  486.  Of  course,  Michael  Bruce,  in  whose  version  it  is,  must  have  copied 
it  from  this  ancient  ballad. 


LANG  JOHNNIE  MOIE.  G53 


39  "  Oh,  take  the  ladye,"  said  the  king, 

"  Ye  welcome  are  for  me ; 

I  never  thought  to  see  sic  men 

Frae  the  foot  of  Benachie." 

40  "  If  I  had  kenn'd,"  said  Jock  o'  Noth, 

"  Ye'd  wonder'd  sae  at  me, 
I  wou'd  ha'e  brought  ane  larger  far, 
By  sizes  three  times  three. 

41  "Likewise,  if  I  had  thought  I'd  been 

Sic  a  great  fright  to  thee, 
I'd  brought  Sir  John  o'  Erskine  park, — 
He 's  thretty  feet  and  three." 

42  "  Wae  to  the  boy,"  then  said  the  king, 

"  Brought  tidings  unto  thee ; 
Let  all  England  say  what  they  will, 
It 's  high  hang'd  he  shall  be." 

43  "  Oh,  if  ye  hang  the  bonnie  wee  boy 

Brought' tidings  unto  me. 
We  shall  attend  his  burial, 
''         And  rewarded  ye  shall  be." 

44  "  Oh,  take  the  ladye,"  said  the  king, 

"  The  boy,  too,  shall  be  free." 
"A  priest,  a  priest,"  then  Johnnie  cried, 
"  To  join  my  love  and  me." 

45  "  A  clerk,  a  clerk,"  the  king  replied, 

"  To  seal  her  tocher  free." 
[But]  out  it  speaks  auld  Johnnie  then, 
These  words  pronounced  he  : — 

46  "  I  want  na  lands  and  rents  at  hame, 

I'll  take  nae  gowd  frae  thee ; 
I  am  possess'd  of  riches  great, 

Full  fifty  ploughs  and  three; 
And  likewise  heir  to  a  great  estate 

At  the  foot  of  Benachie. 

47  "  Ha'e  ye  ony  masons  in  this  place. 

Or  ony  at  your  call ; 
That  ye  may  now  send  some  of  them 
To  build  your  broken  wall  ?  " 


654  BALLAD   MINSTRELSY  OP  SCOTLAND. 


48  "  Yes,  there  are  masons  in  this  place, 

And  plenty  at  my  call ; 
But  ye  may  gang  frae  whence  ye  came, 
Nor  mind  my  broken  wall." 

49  They've  ta'en  the  ladye  by  the  hand, 

And  set  her  prison  free  ; 
With  drums  beating  and  fifes  playing, 
They  spent  the  night  with  glee. 

50  Then  auld  Johnnie  Moir,  and  young  Johnnie  Moir, 

And  Jock  o'  Noth,  all  three, 
The  English  ladye,  and  little  boy, 
Went  all  to  Benachie. 


GEORDIE. 


Different  versions  of  this  ballad  have  appeared,  as  under : — 

I.   "Geordie;"   in  Johnson's   Musical   Museum,    p.    357,    as 
communicated  by  Burns. 

II.  In  Kinloch's  Ancient  Scottish  Ballads,  p.  192.  Kinlocli 
supposes  it  to  refer  to  the  disfavour  or  disgrace  which 
befell  George,  fourth  Earl  of  Huntly,  on  account  of  his 
failure  to  punish,  and  supposed  complicity  with  "John 
Muderach,  chief  of  the  family  of  the  MacRonalds,  a 
notorious  robber,  who  had  played  many  foul  and  monstrous 
pranks."  The  particulars  are  narrated  by  Buchanan  in 
his  History  of  Scotland. 

III.  "Gight's*  Lady,"  in  Buchan's  Ancient  Ballads,  vol.  i., 
p.  133,  is  a  similar  ballad.  In  this  version,  the  hero 
crowns  his  gross  and  grievous  iniquities  by  ungratefully 
and  barbarously  murdering  his  lady  and  deliverer  :  this 
version  says  by  "stabbing;"  but  "one  set  "referred  to 
by  Motherwell,  and  probably  communicated  to  him  by 
Buchan,  makes  it  to  be  by  drowning. 

Motherwell  also  refers  to  a  version,  "styled  '  Geordie  Lucklie,'" 
while  Eitson,  in  his  Northumberland  Garland,  p.  43,  gives  "  a 
lamentable  ditty"  on  "the  death  of"  one  "George  Stoole,"  &c., 
"  to  a  dehcate  Scottish  tune,"  which,  says  Motherwell,  is  "evidently 
imitated  from  the  Scottish  song." — Minstrelsy,  Introduction,  p.  Ixxvi., 
note  46. 

AUan  Cunningham  has  reprinted  the  Museum  copy,  with  but 
little  variation,  in  his  Songs  of  Scotland,  vol.  ii.,  p.  180. 

*  Qight  was  the  ancestor  of  Lord  Byron.  Mr.  Buchan.  in  his  Ancient  Ballads, 
vol.  i.,  p.  258,  gives  another  baUad  on  "  the  marriage  of  'Miss  Gordon  of  Gight'  to 
John  Byron,  son  of  Admiral  Byron,"  the  poet's  parents. 


GEORDIE.  655 


1  There  was  a  battle  in  the  north, 

And  nobles  there  were  manie; 
And  they  ha'e  kill'd  Sir  Charlie  Hay, 
And  they  laid  the  wyte  *  on  Geordie. 

2  Oh,  he  has  written  a  lang  letter; 

He  sent  it  to  his  ladye : 
"  It 's  ye  maun  come  up  to  E'nbrugh  town, 
To  see  what  word 's  of  Geordie." 

3  When  first  she  look'd  the  letter  on, 

She  was  baith  red  and  rosy; 
But  she  hadna  read  a  word  but  twa, 
Till  she  wallow't  f  like  a  lily. 

4  "  Gar  get  to  me  my  gude  gray  steed, 

My  menyie  all  gae  with  me ; 
For  I  shall  neither  eat  nor  drink, 
Till  E'nbrugh  town  shall  see  me." 

5  And  she  has  mounted  her  gude  gray  steed, 

Her  menyie  all  gaed  with  her; 
And  she  did  neither  eat  nor  drink. 
Till  E'nbrugh  town  did  see  her. 

G     [And  soon  she  came  to  the  water  broad. 
Nor  boat  nor  barge  was  ready; 
She  turn'd  her  horse's  head  to  the  flood, 
And  swam  through  at  Queensferry.]  J 

7  And  first  appear'd  the  fatal  block. 

And  syne  the  axe  to  head  him; 
And  Geordie  comin'  down  the  stair, 
And  bands  of  aim  upon  him. 

8  But  tho'  he  was  chain'd  in  fetters  Strang, 

Of  aim  and  steel  sae  heavy. 

There  wasna  ane  in  all  the  court, 

Sae  braw  a  man  as  Geordie. 

9  Oh,  she 's  down  on  her  bended  knee, 

I  wat  she 's  pale  and  wearie ; 

"  Oh  pardon,  pardon,  noble  King, 

And  gi'e  me  back  my  dearie! 

•  "  Wyte : "  blame. 

t  "  Wallow't: "  waied  pale. 

t  Inserted  by  Allan  Cunningham  from  the  recitation  of  Mrs.  Cunningham. 


656  BALLAD  MINSTRELSY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


10  "  I  ha'e  born  seven  sous  to  my  Geordie  dear, 

The  seventh  ne'er  saw  his  daddie; 
Oh  pardon,  pardon,  noble  King, 
Pity  a  waefu'  ladye  ! " 

11  "  Gar  bid  the  heading-man  mak'  haste! " 

The  King  replied  full  lordly; 
"  Oh,  noble  King,  tak'  a'  that 's  mine. 
But  gi'e  me  back  my  Geordie  !  " 

12  The  Gordons  cam',  and  the  Gordons  ran, 

And  they  were  stark  and  steady ; 
And  aye  the  word  amang  them  all 
Was — "  Gordons,  keep  you  ready  ! " 

13  An  aged  lord  at  the  King's  right  hand 

Says — "  Noble  King,  but  hear  me ; 
Gar  her  tell  down  five  thousand  crowns, 
And  gi'e  her  back  her  dearie." 

14  [Then  out  and  spak'  the  King  again, 

And  oh,  but  he  spak'  bonnie ! 
"If  ye'll  tell  down  five  thousand  crowns, 
Ye'll  buy  the  life  of  Geordie !  "]  * 

15  Some  ga'e  her  merks,  some  ga'e  her  crowns, 

Some  ga'e  her  dollars  many ; 
And  she's  tell'd  down  five  thousand  crowns. 
And  she 's  gotten  again  her  dearie. 

16  She  blinkit  blythe  in  her  Geordie's  face; 

Says — "  Dear  I've  bought  thee,  Geordie ; 
But  there  wou'd  ha'e  been  bluidy  bouksf  on  the  green, 
Or  I  had  tint  my  lordie !  " 

17  He  claspit  her  by  the  middle  sma', 

And  he  kiss'd  her  lips  sae  rosy; 
"  The  fairest  flower  of  womankind 
Is  my  sweet  bonnie  ladye  !  " 

•  This  stanza  has  been  slightly  altered  from  Kinloch's  version,  "  King  "  being 
substituted  for  "  Baron."  If  the  reading  here  given  could  be  authenticated,  it  would 
go  far  to  fix  the  event  in  the  reign  of  "James  the  Sapient  and  Sext,"  with  the 
venality  of  whose  administration  of  justice  it  accurately  accords.  It  may  possibly 
refer  to  the  murder  of  the  "Bonnie  Earl  of  Murray,"  by  George,  sixth  Earl  of 
Huntly,  and  his  retainers. 

t  "  Bouks :  "  bodies.    See  note  c,  ante,  p.  4'13. 


BELL  AND  BAIN,  FSOIIKES,  41  HITCHBLL  8TBEET,  GLASGOW. 


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